Vial as a platform – Ensuring drug development efficiency with safe and flexible pharmaceutical packaging

Applications and future potential

Platform solutions are particularly beneficial for sensitive medications such as vaccines and biologic and biosimilar drugs. Key considerations for these applications include:

• Stability-focused packaging: Ensures long-term integrity of sensitive proteins.
• Minimization of risks: Reduces the risk of leachables and delamination thanks to optimized glass surfaces.
• High-quality materials: The use of Type I Borosilicate Glass offers a proven foundation for maintaining drug stability.

As the pharmaceutical industry evolves, platform concepts are expected to become increasingly essential for personalized medicine, nanotechnology, and other innovative therapies.

What does "vial as a platform" mean?

The "vial as a platform" concept uses pre-tested and pre-qualified packaging solutions that offer proven compatibility with a range of drug formulations. By using a range of reliable off-the-shelf options, pharmaceutical companies can achieve:

• Increased drug stability: Pre-tested materials minimize risks such as pH shifts and increased leachable levels.
• Time savings during development: A pre-qualified system reduces the need for extensive compatibility testing.
• Seamless production integration: Standardized ISO dimensions ensure compatibility and smooth fill-and-finish processes.

This approach improves drug development efficiency by reducing the overall complexity of the development process, enabling pharmaceutical companies to focus on the core challenge of bringing safe and effective medications to market.

Minimized leachable levels and delamination risk reduction through standardization

A unified vial platform system provides both safety and efficiency for pharmaceutical companies. Choosing the right vial from the start mitigates known risks such as:

• Delamination caused by chemical reactions with the container surface.
• Elevated leachables that can compromise drug stability.
• Integration issues in production lines due to non-standardized dimensions.

As well as mitigating the risks above, standardized packaging also reduces the likelihood of delays during critical development phases, resulting in a faster path from drug discovery to market launch.

Economic benefits and development efficiency

"Vial as a platform" offers significant economic advantages, especially for sterile pharmaceutical packaging. These benefits include:

• Lower total cost of ownership (TCO): Reduces the diversity of packaging formats and streamlines inventory management.
• Optimized use of cleanroom space: A standardized solution minimizes storage requirements and improves production efficiency.
• Scalability and flexibility: Ideal for both small-scale pilot batches and large-scale commercial production.

These efficiencies are critical in an industry where both time and resources are at a premium.

EVERIC® pure by SCHOTT Pharma – the reliable platform solution

Made from pure borosilicate glass, EVERIC® pure exemplifies the benefits of the platform approach. Its patented production process minimizes delamination risks and ensures exceptionally low leachable levels. These features make it a robust solution for challenging formulations and the default option for drug development.

Why choose EVERIC® pure?

Choosing EVERIC® pure as a safe and proven platform from the start helps pharmaceutical companies simplify drug development while maximizing efficiency and safety. EVERIC® pure offers:

• Accelerated drug development: Pre-tested compatibility increases formulation options and reduces delays caused by reformulations.
• Reduced risks: Ensures reliable stability throughout the drug lifecycle.
• Flexibility: The ability to combine with other products in the EVERIC® range offers further potential for efficiency gains.

EVERIC® pure – unique vial excellence. Learn more about EVERIC® pure.

The future of "vial as a platform" in drug development efficiency

The introduction of a platform concept for primary packaging is a critical step for pharmaceutical companies looking to streamline their processes and minimize risks. By reducing complexity, ensuring safety, and accelerating time-to-market, this approach provides the flexibility, cost-efficiency, and reliability required to succeed in today’s competitive pharmaceutical landscape.