Protecting drugs at deep-cold temperatures: SCHOTT Pharma launches new vials for mRNA and gene therapy

Wednesday, January 24, 2024, Mainz, Germany

  • EVERIC® freeze vials withstand storage temperatures down to -80°C needed for vaccines, such as gene therapy and mRNA drugs.

  • These deep-cold temperature drugs can be used to treat infectious diseases, cancer, and central nervous system disorders – a growing market, which includes, for example, 11 mRNA drugs and 10 gene therapy drugs commercially available in 2023, and over 100 mRNA and 45 gene therapy drugs in clinical trials (Source: GlobalData).

  • New vials prevent loss of life-saving medications and costly downtimes thanks to strength-optimized geometry leading to reduced risk of breakage.

SCHOTT Pharma, a pioneer in pharmaceutical drug containment solutions and delivery systems, is introducing glass vials optimized for deep-cold storage of drugs. These life-saving vaccines, such as gene therapy and mRNA medications must be frozen and transported at temperatures down to -80°C. Due to the high thermal stress and other factors in the freezing and thawing process, conventional vials are prone to glass breakage during the process, which results in costly downtimes and drug loss. To prevent this, SCHOTT Pharma’s EVERIC® freeze vials feature improved strength thanks to optimized glass tubing, vial geometry and production process. “Our scientific strength tests have shown that the new vials outperform standard vials, making them a dedicated solution for frozen medications used to treat infectious diseases, cancer, and central nervous system disorders,” said Andreas Reisse, CEO of SCHOTT Pharma.
SCHOTT Pharma’s EVERIC® freeze vials are the only glass solution on the market for deep-cold storage.
SCHOTT Pharma’s EVERIC® freeze vials are suitable for drugs that require deep-cold storage. Image: SCHOTT Pharma/Oana Szekely

In 2023, there were for example 11 mRNA drugs and 10 gene therapy drugs commercially available, which required deep-cold storage, and over 100 mRNA and 45 gene therapy drugs in clinical trials (Source: GlobalData). Pharma companies are therefore looking for an experienced partner in terms of drug containment and delivery systems, who can provide the right solution to help shorten the time to market. “By expanding our portfolio with the new vials, we are now the only partner to leading pharma companies, who can offer both polymer and glass solutions for deep-cold storage requirements,” adds Reisse.

On top, drug manufacturers want to ensure that the drug remains stable until it reaches the patient. For this, the container closure integrity (CCI) is crucial. However, it, too, is at risk in deep-cold temperatures because the stoppers can shrink and lose elasticity, which could affect the drug’s efficacy. Through vigorous scientific testing with eight variants, SCHOTT Pharma found a 0% failure rate for all configurations, showing that CCI can be maintained for all combinations within ISO dimensions, including EVERIC® freeze vials.

The new vials are manufactured in Müllheim, Germany, which is also where SCHOTT Pharma’s competence center is located, can be supplied as ready-to-use (RTU) if requested and are available in 2 – 30 mL. The solution is the newest member of the established EVERIC® portfolio, which allows pharma companies to flexibly combine features to address different needs and enhance efficiency.


Learn more about SCHOTT EVERIC® freeze.

The new vials from SCHOTT Pharma feature optimized strength for deep-cold storage.

The new vials from SCHOTT Pharma feature optimized strength for deep-cold storage. Image: SCHOTT Pharma/Oana Szekely

TIF   22 MB

About SCHOTT Pharma

SCHOTT Pharma designs solutions grounded in science to ensure that medications are safe and easy to use for people around the world – because human health matters. The portfolio comprises drug containment solutions and delivery systems for injectable drugs ranging from prefillable glass and polymer syringes to cartridges, vials, and ampoules. Every day, a team of around 4,700 people from over 65 nations works at SCHOTT Pharma to contribute to global healthcare. The company is represented in all main pharmaceutical hubs with 16 manufacturing sites in Europe, North and South America, and Asia. With over 1,000 patents and technologies developed in-house, a state-of-the-art R&D center in Switzerland, the company is focused on developing innovations for the future. SCHOTT Pharma AG & Co. KGaA, headquartered in Mainz, Germany, is part of SCHOTT AG that is fully owned by the Carl Zeiss Foundation. In light of this spirit, SCHOTT Pharma is committed to sustainable development for society and the environment and has the strategic goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2030. Currently, SCHOTT Pharma has over 1,800 customers including the top 30 leading pharma manufacturers for injectable drugs and generated revenues of EUR 821 million in the fiscal year 2022.

Contact us

For more information about this media release, please contact me.

Contact us
Joana Kornblum - Public Relations Manager
Joana Kornblum

Manager Corporate Communications