Primum non nocere. First, do no harm.

The often-official motto of healthcare providers, organisations, and associations around the world sets the bar for the global pharma industry. Patient safety should always come first. However, this philosophy isn’t just relegated to guiding the practices of medical professionals and drug developers. It extends all the way down to the healthcare sector’s expectations for every component, instrument, and process orbiting the development and manufacture of medicine—especially parenteral drugs. Injectable therapies are some of the most highly sensitive drugs that require the most rigorous protective measures to ensure no particles, microbes or oxidisation jeopardises formulation integrity.

These high standards aren’t reachable without serious commitments to Container Closure Integrity (CCI). CCI is the ability of a container closure system to maintain the sterility of final pharma, biological and vaccine products throughout their shelf life. It is also a regulatory requirement upon which to qualify closure designs. In the case of parenteral drugs, CCI aims to avoid adulteration of the drugs packaged in vials, syringes, and cartridges. Even though these types of packaging systems are sealed in a hermetic manner, there are still many risks to mitigate.

What factors threaten CCI?

CCI is subject to many threats from the ambient environment. Vials, cartridges, and syringes are often packaged one of two ways. The industry preference is with terminal sterilisation wherein the entire packaging system is sterilised. Alternatively, drug manufacturers can package drugs with components that have been sterilised individually, assembled, then filled aseptically by filtering the drug product through a 0.2-micron filter.  However, drugs filled and packaged using either method are still subject to a few potential risks around leaks due to CCI failure:

1. Loss of aqueous solvent due to vaporisation: If the drug is in an aqueous medium, any hole in the vial can accelerate vaporisation. That can translate to a loss of solvent. Not only can that issue compromise the formulation and patient health, but the disappearance of a labeled ingredient can land drug manufacturers on the wrong side of the law and potentially find professionals close to the product manufacture in jail. This is because it is illegal to sell a mislabeled drug in most countries around the world.
2. Oxidisation: Oxygen is, obviously, a potent oxidiser that must be excluded from the packaging system of parenteral drugs. Otherwise, the presence of oxygen can lead to the breakdown of fats, lipids, proteins, and other ingredients, compromising the drug formulation and impact of the dosage. For example, in a 5mL vial, there are typically 3 mLs of liquid drug product and 2 mLs of gas that sits above it. Drug manufacturers blanket their product with either nitrogen or argon to exclude any oxygen from the package. A leak would cause equilibration between the contents of the container and the outside environment. The oxygen-rich environment outside the vial will try to seep into the vial interior and equilibrate so it’s 18 per cent oxygen outside and inside the vial, achieving the same barometric pressure. This can lead to a loss in the active pharma ingredient and prevent the delivery of the therapeutic dose.
3. Inadvertent introduction of microbes: A leak in the vial of a parenteral drug package can let in more than just oxygen. There can still be the threat of microbe introductions, which can be highly dangerous depending on the microbe and the condition of the already compromised immune system of the patient. Even the pressure change of a storm could create the conditions to not just pull out, but also push in contents from the vial if there is a leak.

What can drug manufacturers do to minimise these risks?

First, we must remember that every small component, like the stoppers, plungers, and caps, have critical roles to play in preserving drug integrity as part of the parenteral drug packaging system. Stoppers are placed at the top of syringes, vials, and cartridges to seal the barrels of these containers. Plungers glide through the barrel of syringes to deliver injectable drugs smoothly and effectively. Caps often top off vials and are comprised of both metal and rubber components. All must be designed with painstaking care to ensure compatibility with the drug product they interact with. Once that bar is cleared, there are many assessments, practices, and technologies available to help drug manufacturers enhance CCI:

1. It starts with a paper analysis. In this process, analysts compare drawings of components like stoppers and plungers to the drawings of the vials and syringe barrels to ensure that there is enough compression and interference between the elastomer and the glass or plastic package to create a seal. In addition, they check to make sure there isn’t too much interference or compression, which can compromise machinability during insertion. For syringes, they must also check the activation of plunger movement for the same factors. The fit can’t be too tight or too loose. It must be just right. We typically aim for a couple percentage points of compression between the rubber and the walls of the package, but optimal results may vary. For a stopper, more compression is desirable. A plunger requires less to ensure mobility up and down the barrel of the vial. It’s also important at this stage to account for blowback tolerances. Many vials are now made with blowback features, small, recessed rings inside the neck of the vial so the rubber can relax into that recess so that a little bit of back pressure isn’t going to pop it off. A corollary feature can be added to the stopper – like a protuberance that can snag into the recess in the neck of the vial. However, problems can arise when the blowback feature is mismatched with the stopper design, exacerbating the issue. More recently, there was a movement to make blowback tolerances and dimensioning for these features clearer at the specification process which enables drug manufacturers to better identify potential mismatches at the paper analysis stage.

2. Next comes dry lab (or exploratory developmental) work wherein a series of practical physical tests are conducted. The pop-up test is one example. In this test, a vial is filled with water and a stopper is placed loosely on top of the vial. The tester freezes the whole system overnight. The next morning, they bring it out and insert that stopper to observe whether it pops out as the system warms up due to positive pressure inside. That cold gas in the headspace after it’s sealed and starts to warm up, goes to a higher pressure and can pop the stopper off. The test offers an effective way to assess for stopper and vial compatibility.
3. Following the practical tests, CCI testing is conducted with more advanced instrumentation and, typically, placebos (drug product without the active ingredient) to ensure the package is robust and shows no leakage over the temperature range that the drug product will experience through its lifecycle. This may include cold chain testing for cryogenic or cold storage, often a very challenging barrier to success. Some drugs must stay at liquid nitrogen temperatures –185 degrees Celsius to maintain viability. However, rubber and plastic materials take on the attributes of glass at those temperatures, making it difficult to achieve an adequate seal, and requiring alternative approaches. Very careful scrutiny must be paid to CCI testing—especially with cryogenic and cold storage.
4. Residual Seal Force testing can help testers understand the residual spring left in the elastomeric closures flange. The flange compresses as vertical force is applied to it during capping. By locking the skirt in that metal furl during sealing, the energy in that rubber flange is captured and causes the rubber to be in a state of compression with the glass crown finish which ensures a great seal during the product lifespan. By measuring Residual Seal Force, testers can understand if the capping force is too great and liable to create a wrinkle and fold, and ultimately, a product leak. This testing can help drug manufacturers find their sweet spot for capping force as a preventative measure to maximise seal integrity.
5. Once the product is made, the shelf studies begin. These include repetitive CCI testing at frequent intervals throughout the proposed shelf life of the drug. Typically, the manufacturer will put up three lots of drug product in its field packaging and at periods of 0, 1, 2, 3, 6, 12 and 18 months, they’ll pull samples and test them for, among other things, container closure integrity. This assessment gives drug manufacturers a good idea of how the drug will fare over time on the shelf.

Working toward CCI around the World!

No matter where drugs are manufactured, pharma companies are still subject to the CCI standards of the markets they serve. This can make the whole process complicated as pharmacopoeias vary with regions. For example, markets like Japan have had extremely strict regulations around sterility for closures compared to other markets that took significant R&D to develop elastomeric closures that met the standard. In the US, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prefers the deterministic CCI testing versus the probabilistic CCI testing of the past. The FDA asks drug manufacturers to use deterministic CCI testing instrumentation and technology because probabilistic methods are more subjective and contain more qualitative methodology while deterministic methods are quantitative and nondestructive while giving actionable insights. There is greater certainty in the deterministic testing methodology.

It is critical that drug manufacturers comprehend the differences between the markets they serve and work closely with their suppliers who understand the nuances of different regional regulations, and of course work toward the highest standards to do no harm.

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Borosil announced the execution of a binding share purchase agreement (SPA) through its subsidiary Klass Pack to acquire an initial 90.17 per cent stake in Goel Scientific Glass Works, a scientific glassware company. This acquisition is intended to add a complementary product portfolio to Borosil’s Scientific and Industrial Products (SIP) business. Upon completion of the transaction, Goel Scientific Glass Works will become a subsidiary of Klass Pack and in turn a step-down subsidiary of Borosil.

Klass Pack is in the business of primary pharma packaging and manufactures tubular glass vials and ampoules for the pharma industry. Upon approval of the National Company Law Tribunal, Mumbai Bench, to the ongoing Composite Scheme of Arrangement, amongst Borosil, Klass Pack and Borosil Technologies, the SIP business viz. lab glassware, lab instrumentation and pharma packaging business of these three entities will stand consolidated in Klass Pack.

Goel Scientific Glass Works is a public limited company and has two plants located in Vadodara, Gujarat and is a manufacturer of industrial glass process systems as well as laboratory glassware and has a team of glass blowers who are skilled at manufacturing borosilicate glass vessels up to a capacity of 500 litres.

With this acquisition, Borosil’s SIP business will add a complementary product portfolio to its product range and will allow Borosil to use its brand and strong sales and distribution channel for the purpose of import substitution in this segment.

In recent years, Borosil’s growing SIP business has made significant investments to expand its portfolio with related diversifications in pharmaceutical primary packaging, analytical vials and laboratory bench top equipments. The proposed expansion is in the sphere of glass industrial process systems – a natural extension of Borosil’s SIP product portfolio.

For this transaction, Monarch Networth Capital acted as sole financial advisor and PricewaterhouseCoopers and Khaitan & Co acted as the due diligence partners to Borosil.

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Granules India recently inaugurated and launched its packaging facility through its Granules Consumer Health (GCH) step-down subsidiary which is located in Manassas, Virginia, US. The facility is over 79,000 square feet and is equipped with packaging lines and clean rooms to package and ship prescription and over-the-counter products across the US market. The facility recently received US FDA approval with zero 483 observations.

The facility was inaugurated by Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu who serves as India’s Ambassador to the US. In addition, Ambassador (ret) Atul Keshap, President of the US India Business Council, Jasjit Singh, Executive Director of Select USA, Scott Melville, President of the Consumer Healthcare Products Association and Chris Shorter, County Executive of Prince William County were on hand for the inauguration.

“Granules Consumer Health’s packaging facility will improve resilience in our supply chain as well as improving our reaction time. The facility will enable us to meet fast-moving consumer shifts as well as reducing lead times for critical prescriptions products that are in shortage” said Dr Krishna Prasad Chigurupati, Chairman and Managing Director, Granules India.

The addition of a US packaging facility will result in Granules being among the few pharma companies to be vertically integrated from API to packaging, Granules has invested approximately $12.5 million into its US packaging facility.

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Pharmaceutical packaging has come a long way in recent years. The industry constantly innovates to provide the most reliable and efficient packaging solutions, from automated assembly lines to shrink-wrap and other state-of-the-art technologies. The rise of new drug delivery systems, such as inhalers and patches, has changed how drugs are packaged and presented to consumers. As such, companies must stay on top of the latest trends in pharma packaging to remain competitive. In this post, we will explore some of the latest trends that are transforming the pharma packaging industry.

The pharma industry is constantly evolving and changing. As such, the packaging industry must also change and adapt to meet the needs of pharma companies. Some of the latest trends in pharma packaging include accessibility for patients, eco-friendly and sustainable packaging, ease of production, child-resistant packaging, user-friendly packaging, tamper-evident packaging, and more.

Different types of pharma packaging include blister packs, bottles, and capsules. Blister packs offer high protection for your product, are accessible to stores and transport, and can be easily opened and closed. However, they are less durable than other types of packaging, so you need to be careful with them. Bottles offer good protection for your product and are easy to store and transport, but they can be breakable, so you need to be careful with them. However, capsules offer good protection for your product, but they are not as easy to store or transport as other types of packaging.

This was all about what we felt about the trends in pharma packaging. To know more about this, our team connected with some of the top leaders in the pharma packaging industry at PlastIndia 2023 and in another way. Here are the comments from the leaders:

Responsible manufacturing is our key focus: UFlex Chemicals

While speaking to Rajesh Bhasin, Joint President – Chemical Business from UFlex Chemicals division at PlastIndia 2023, we learned about their plans of introducing inks for the pharma foils and narrow web labelling for pharma products. Bhasin said, “Being in the chemical division, we are concerned for our environment. Our focus is on responsible manufacturing, in which we are putting efforts into protecting the environment. We have controlled and managed pollution by reducing water consumption by almost 90 per cent and increasing production by four times. We have also been reducing hazardous waste in which our team tracks each and every operation.”

“Our manufacturing plant in Noida is a Zero Liquid Discharge Facility for water and environmental protection in which we reuse and recycle the wastewater efficiently. We promote water-based inks and ensure green products by reducing the solvent content,” he concluded.

Look for biodegradable packaging to reduce waste: Dr Boy

Germany-based Dr Boy is a specialist in liquid silicon applications, where it manufactures liquid silicone rubber baby nipples, catheters, urine catheters, and all the catheters which can be used for the heart. Talking about their presence in PlastIndia 2023 and the pharma sector, S Sundaram, CEO, Karan Engineering (Exclusive Agent of Dr Boy in India), said, “PlastIndia is the third largest show on plastics, and I am glad that it’s happening in New Delhi after a gap of 12 years. The northern region of India is a major market segment in medical applications, it has a huge contribution towards plastics. We have received huge inquiries for different applications in this show till now.”

“For trends in pharma packaging, I would say that the entire pharma packaging is working towards primary packaging, which includes disposable and film packaging, and secondary packaging, which includes corrugation box. The pharma packaging industry is evolving a lot, and plastics are playing a vital role. Many things like disposable syringes, hand gloves, saline, glucose, syrups, and more are packed in plastics, so we can’t replace the plastics. In 2023, we are planning to launch our own brand in India, in which we will introduce menstrual cups for female healthcare applications, some other catheters, and ventilator masks. As a machine manufacturer, our role is critical, and we are very concerned about sustainable packaging. We always have a role in offering technological solutions to packaging manufacturers. The future of pharma packaging in India looks very bright, and the reason behind this is the growing demand with the healthcare situation in India and the increasing population size. My suggestion to the people would be to look for an alternative kind of biodegradable packaging to reduce the waste,” he concluded.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle are key aspects of sustainable packaging: Manjushree Technopack

Recently in PlastIndia, our team met with Gaurav Luniya, Chief Business Officer, Manjushree Technopack, and discussed the trends in pharma packaging, for which he said, “Pharma segment in India is growing rapidly. While in rigid packaging, PET bottles, HDPE bottles for OTC products as well as regulated products have been prevalent for the last many years, the current focus is packaging materials that withstand very low temperatures (e.g., for storing vaccines) as well as large active ingredient packaging. At the show, we are displaying PET bottles. We have recently developed new packaging for customers like Sun Pharma, Lupin and more, and some more are in the pipeline to be introduced in 2023, like eye droppers. Overall PlastIndia 2023 was very well managed, and we saw genuine enquiries.”

“One of the key macro drivers in packaging is sustainability. For sustainable packaging, there are three ways on which we are focusing – Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. The Pharma industry will eventually adopt a recycling approach, however, we see this to happen over a 7-10 year period. Pharma packaging is evolving towards more specialised requirements,” he concluded.

Anti-counterfeiting is back: Printmann Group

Ankit Tanna, director of Printmann Group, commenting on the trends of pharma packaging, said, “If you ask me about the trends in pharma packaging, I would say that nowadays, there are lots of development in anti-counterfeiting. Anti-counterfeiting took a break for a couple of years back during the Covid period, but now, it’s coming back. Secondly, we see a lot of trends toward nitrocellulose-free aluminium packaging. Nito cellulose has harmful properties, so many aluminium blister packs are moving toward nitro cellulose-free inks and varnishes. Since we are into multiple products, we are trying to produce combo products from our existing products as this will save our customers’ process time on their machines.”

“We are into paper and aluminium, so this makes an option for sustainable packaging. Sustainability is getting driven by the products which we are already in. The future of pharma packaging is extremely bright and continues to be an integral part of pharma. Much smart technology will come into pharma packaging in the pharma sector, which is child-resistant and senior-friendly. In India, all the regulations are starting, so there is a lot of scope left for the domestic market to adopt smart packaging and various innovative packaging concepts available today for the export market,” Tanna concluded. 

Paper pouch making to be a trend in pharma packaging: Shubhan Prints

Bharat Gupta, MD, Shuban Prints, commenting on the trends in pharma packaging, said, “There are several trends in the pharma packaging industry, including sustainability, smart packaging, patient-centred design, child-resistant packaging, and track and trace systems. These trends aim to improve the safety, security, and sustainability of pharma packaging, enhancing the user experience for patients. In 2023, we will focus more on paper pouch making. Our approach to sustainable packaging is doing more experiments through recyclable material and more rigid material in injectables. As a result, more alternatives are being developed which can be used in molding and packaging for vials and injectables. We are also trying to work on recycling waste from packaging.”

“The future of pharma packaging is expected to be shaped by several trends and advancements, including the increased focus on sustainability, innovative packaging, personalization, and other new technologies. Overall, the future of pharma packaging is expected to be characterised by an increased focus on sustainability, security, and patient-centered design,” he added.

Sustainability is at forefront of our agenda: Hotpack Global

Dharmesh Zavery, general manager (Flexible Packaging, Folding Carton & Labels), Hotpack Global, confirmed their new launch and said, “Hotpack has been at the forefront of innovation and investing regularly in providing various solutions to the packaging segment. In 2023, we will be coming up with several products that will help the pharma industry move along with its agenda of sustainability, barrier requirements, and convenience. Sustainability is at the forefront of our agenda. We have been working on alternative materials like PLA and Paper(FSC-certified) solutions.”

“We have also tied up with waste management companies, recyclers, and brand owners to tie up the entire value chain, enabling us to create a circular loop. We believe in making our environment cleaner and greener by extending our responsibility beyond being just packaging material supplier. Nowadays, the pharma packaging space is highly demanding and will always have a very high growth rate and demands on innovations,” he concluded.

 Well, from the above statements by the industry leaders, it is clear that advancements within the pharma packaging industry have been rapid and far-reaching, with an increasing focus on convenience, safety, and aesthetics. The latest trends are set to continue this trend, ensuring customers receive their products in the most convenient, secure, and aesthetically pleasing way possible. From blister packs to intelligent packaging solutions – it’s clear that modern innovations are here to stay.

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EUR 75 million (approx. Rs 660 Cr) invested across three years to double SCHOTT’s pharma tubing capacities in the region

To meet the increasing demand in Asia, SCHOTT invested 75 million euros (approx. Rs 660 Cr) over the last three years to expand its pharma glass production in India. The Gujarat-based facility is the company’s manufacturing hub for borosilicate glass tubing, a high-quality material that is converted to pharmaceutical containers, such as vials, ampoules, or syringes, to store life-saving drugs.

This expansion aims to contribute to the Indian government’s vision of further strengthening India as a global pharma hub, while also supporting Germany’s commitment to increasingly invest in India – as recently agreed upon by Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

At the official opening event happened recently, local government officials, business unit executives, and pharma industry representatives celebrated the start of a new production of FIOLAX amber pharmaceutical glass tubing.

With this move, manufacturers of drug containment solutions in in the region can now receive SCHOTT’s complete portfolio of pharmaceutical glass tubing produced in India.

Amber glass is used to store light-sensitive medications such as antibiotics or chemotherapeutic agents. The local production will also improve availability, planning reliability, and cost efficiency for pharmaceutical converters.

Dr Patrick Markschläger, Executive Vice President, SCHOTT’s Business Unit Tubing said, ““As part of our strategy to manufacture close to our customers, we are enabling their growth plans by ensuring a sufficient regional supply of high-quality pharmaceutical glass tubing,”

Pawan Shukla, Managing Director, SCHOTT Glass India said, “We have been a reliable partner for the healthcare industry in India for decades and are pleased to expand our local footprint even further. We would like to thank the local authorities and our partners for making this project a success.”

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Gerresheimer announced a joint venture with Corning to increase global access to the Velocity Vial technology platform, for high quality and cost-effective injectable drug-filling process.

The partnership will combine Gerresheimer’s glass-converting expertise with Corning’s Velocity Vial technology. This model will improve fill-finish productivity and enhance product quality, lowering manufacturing costs and speeding the delivery of injectable therapies. Velocity Vials will be produced by the joint venture in existing Gerresheimer facilities for the international market, making the vials immediately available in North America, Europe and Asia.

Dr Lukas Burkhardt, Member of the Management Board of Gerresheimer, said, “By expanding our long-standing relationship with Corning, we add another integrated solution to deliver value for our customers. Our market-leading position in vials is further strengthened by this innovative vial technology. In combination with our GX Pharma Plus, Gx Elite glass vials or Gx RTF solution, we can meet the highest quality standards.”

A company statement informed, “Velocity Vials can improve filling-line efficiency by up to 50 per cent as a drop-in solution, thereby lowering costs while improving quality and providing a streamlined regulatory process. Compared with conventional vials, Velocity Vials can also protect against damage that could lead to particles, breaks, and cracks. The adoption of Velocity Vials has already helped accelerate the delivery of lifesaving treatments and critical drugs to the market.”

“Over the past two years, we’ve seen first-hand how vital Corning Velocity Vials have been to improving pharma-manufacturing performance and quality. Now, Corning is expanding access to Velocity Vials by partnering with Gerresheimer to co-manufacture and sell the product. The new model expands Velocity’s manufacturing footprint, localises its supply chains, and gives customers the option to purchase directly from Corning or Gerresheimer. We are excited to welcome Gerresheimer as the first partner to join the Velocity Vial technology platform,” said Brendan Mosher, VP and GM, Corning Pharmaceutical Technologies.

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Control Print announced a joint venture with V-Shapes S.r.l., a supplier of sustainable single-dose sachets and manufacturer of packaging machinery based in Bologna, Italy. A company statement informed that through this joint venture, Control Print and V-Shapes will collaborate to produce recyclable/biodegradable single-use packets for a wide range of products including liquids, viscous and powdered content.

V-Shapes has developed unit-dose packaging machines in collaboration with Siemens, designed to create a system with “Snap then Squeeze” technology that requires only three fingers to open a sachet without cutting and tearing. This packaging machine developed by V-Shapes is intended to reduce the environmental impact of packaging. The single-portion pouches are easy to open, hygienic and safe to use, making them ideal for food, cosmetics, medicines, pharma and chemical products.

This partnership will allow Control Print to expand its reach in the Indian market and provide customers with a broader range of recyclable packaging, technologically advanced packaging machinery and a complete range of coding solutions.

V-Shapes has also created two new substrates, reNEW oX-100 and reNEW oX-500, equipped with high-barrier capabilities and certified by Interseroh as 100 per cent recyclable.

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Dr A Ramkishan, Deputy Drugs Controller (India), CDSCO Hyderabad Zonal Office, before delivering his talk at the conclave, paid tribute to the corona warriors and observed a minute of silence for all those who lost their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sharing his thoughts on pharma packaging with the audience, he said that since the common man is not aware of pharma packaging, and is dependent on pharma manufacturers, it’s the responsibility of all those working in the pharma packaging domain to take care of effective packing – strip packing, blister packing, bulk packing, etc.

“Various mechanisms are involved in the protection of pharma medical products. Therefore, unless it is protected, it is difficult to retain the potency of that product. At present, the pharma market stands approximately at $50 billion. In 1998, it was just $8 billion. In the past 25 years, the has reached $50 billion. In that, the Indian pharma packaging market is $1,434 million,” he notified.

When the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is conducting audits in India, when our manufacturers are having a thought process towards changing their important activities for export markets, particularly developed countries, then a lot of importance took place for packaging – maybe primary packaging, secondary packaging, tertiary packaging, including corrugated cartons, he emphasised.

“Primary packaging material goes intact with a product. So, it’s going to have direct interaction and impact with respect to protection against any important external influences – maybe moisture, dust particles, gases, etc. As per the regulations, one has to protect the product and potency should be retained within the item/product, as far as the requirement of a batch is concerned. It has to meet its potency till its expiry date. It should have a proper, intact quality without undergoing any degradation or damage with respect to the retainment of important potency,” he said.

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The last panel discussion of PPL Conclave 2022 was on a very pertinent topic, “Inclusive pharma packaging design: Need of the hour.” The experts on this panel discussion were Ajay Bapat, Packaging Consultant (Moderator); Shivaji Chakraborty, AGM, Fresenius Kabi Oncology; Chandiprasad Ravipati, GM Packaging, Aurobindo Pharma; Munindra Roy, Functional Lead-AGM Packaging Development, Gland Pharma; and Rajshri Pardeshi, Manager – Packaging Development, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals.

In the course of the hour-long discussion, the panelists highlighted why and how the future of packaging hinges on inclusivity. They shared their insights on different facets of inclusive packaging such as how it influences medication non-adherence, factors to be considered while designing inclusive packaging, and packaging approaches to improve functionality and aid patient adherence. Emphasising that pharma products should be made with due consideration to the culture, diversity and needs of the population in different markets, the experts shared a few examples of inclusive packaging design and their benefits. They also discussed how inclusive packaging needs to be flexible to suit individual preferences as well. The panelists also touched upon the advancements in drug delivery, growing phenomenon of drug/device combinations and its impact on packaging, etc.

Thus, the discussion threw light on some interesting aspects such as aiding patient-adherence with packaging, making communication more effective, intuitive packaging design to eliminate complexities in drug delivery, designing to serve the needs of a few but benefit many etc.

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As the pharma industry continues to evolve, pharma packaging industry too has made great strides towards progress. Moving away from its traditional roles, packaging is being utilised to ensure sustainability, value-based care and patient-centric medicine. However, the sector needs to keep reinventing itself to meet the changing dynamics of the pharma industry. Therefore, in the first panel discussion on the second day of PPL Conclave 2022, a panel of experts and leaders shared their insights and views on ‘Balancing cost, innovation and sustainability in pharma packaging’.

The panelists for this session were Avinash Kumar Talwar, VP – MRO & Pkg. Material Sourcing (Strategic & Plant), Global Supply Chain Management, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (Moderator); Giacomo Rinaldi, MD, Uhlmann Singapore; Prabir Das, Packaging Expert; Tripti Nakhare, AVP –RA &PDD, FDC; Manjunath Nadella, GM & Head – Packaging Development, Strides; and Hari Chittampally, DGM, Packaging Material – Purchase, Aurobindo Pharma.

As the discussion progressed, the panelists spoke on the importance of being more sustainable in the long run to contribute towards a healthier world and showcased why it is vital for the life sciences industry to be more conscious about sustainability as guardians of the world’s health. They also touched upon the challenges in balancing costs with innovation in a world which is seeking high value treatments and spoke on approaches to align care with patient-centricity through packaging innovations. They rooted for systemic changes, use of novel packaging material, incremental innovation that focuses on usability, robust formulations to simplify packaging designs and a collaborative ecosystem in the pharma sector to spur meaningful innovations and changes while controlling costs.

The panelists also cited some case studies and instances to back their views and insights which helped the audience gain a better understanding of the issues under discussion. The discussion accentuated how pharma packaging has to keep evolving to keep pace with the changing demands of healthcare.

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