Flexible, trusted packaging solutions for the parenteral delivery of pain prevention drugs

Anaesthetics prevent the neural transmission of pain and are a routine element of many medical procedures. Local or regional anaesthetics are used to numb a small, specific area such as a tooth or an eye, or a larger area, as in the case of a spinals or epidurals, respectively. General anaesthetics and sedation, in contrast, hold the patient in a well-controlled unconscious state, notably for surgery and other procedures such as prolonged ventilation. A wide range of drugs have anaesthetic properties but one of the most commonly used for intravenous delivery is propofol. Prized for its effectiveness and minimal side effects, propofol is formulated as an emulsion and can be used either to induce or maintain an anaesthetised state.

Parenteral delivery is extremely common for anaesthetic drugs, accounting for ~90% of drug delivery by volume*. Slow injection enables rapid and effective numbing while infusion over a sustained period allows the well-controlled maintenance of anaesthesia during a procedure. Glass infusion bottles and injection vials are routinely selected for parenteral anaesthetic delivery and offer:

• Flexibility, different packaging solutions are available to match specific products and manufacturing processes
• Well-established technology for filling, sealing and labelling
• Clarity, to facilitate product inspection
• Maximum chemical stability, to safeguard product quality.

SGD Pharma offers a wide range of bottle and vials to meet requirements for parenteral anaesthetic drug delivery. Type II, soda-lime-silica glass with treated inner surfaces is a cost-efficient option where suitable; Type I products offer higher hydrolytic resistance for anaesthetics that require it. The quality of SGD Pharma glass is extremely high and the company continues to innovate to meet evolving requirements for specific anaesthetics with, for example, plasticised glass packaging.

* IQVIA MIDAS Actual 2018

Practical, ergonomic, sustainable packaging for animal health products

Vets, livestock farmers and companion pet owners rely on an increasingly sophisticated range of products to optimise animal health. These include vaccines, medicinal feed additives, anti-infectives, parasiticides and specialized medicines for the treatment of, for example, cardiac conditions.

The market for veterinary products for companion animals, including cats, dogs and horses, is driven by the increasing popularity of pet ownership and greater tolerance for potentially expensive therapies to treat the ailments of older age. For livestock - cattle, swine, poultry, ruminants and aquaculture – there is intense pressure to optimise the management of health to meet global requirements for more food from fewer resources. Reducing dependence on antibiotics is also an important goal, given well-documented issues around antibiotic resistance.

SGD Pharma offers a wide range of products for animal health applications including molded and tubular injection vials and a variety of infusion bottles tailored to the requirements of specific applications. Type II glass, soda-lime-silica or regular soda lime glass with inner surfaces treated with sulfur, is particularly suitable and offers:

• Good hydrolytic resistance
• Excellent compatibility and stability for acidic and neutral formulations.

Type I products are also available, for applications requiring higher hydrolytic resistance and greater resistance to thermal shock.

All glass packaging is associated with excellent sustainability, due to well-established options for re-use, recycling and disposal.

Flexible, high integrity, cost-effective packaging for drugs that fight bacterial infection

Antibiotics remain essential for fighting bacterial infections of all types despite widely reported issues over increasing microbial resistance. There are many different types, from penicillins, the most frequently prescribed option, to products such as carbapenems and polymyxins which are a last line of defence for patients fighting multi-drug resistant bacteria. The reduction of antibiotic use and appropriate prescribing practice have become major health care concerns due to the threat posed by antibioresistance.

Antibiotic consumption within the community is commonplace but these are also critical drugs for hospital care. Antibiotic formulations are delivered via a number of different routes with solid dosage forms accounting for just under 75% (by volume) of the oral antibiotic market. Dry suspensions, powders made up with water at the point of delivery, form a substantial majority of the liquid oral market. Parenteral, specifically intravenous, delivery is also routine, accounting for 60% of the overall antibiotic market, on the basis of volume. It allows more rapid, higher concentration drug delivery and the more effective treatment of difficult to reach targets such as spinal fluid or bone.

Glass packaging is a flexible, cost effective choice for antibiotic dry suspensions, for injectables and for infusion bottles that offers:

• Substantial choice with respect to volume and shape
• Clarity, for ease of inspection and accurate dosing
• Mature filling and sealing technology.

SGD Pharma provides a wide range of products for the antibiotic supply chain. This includes an extensive number of Type I and II solutions with the hydrolytic resistance required for infusion bottles and injectables. Bottles across the 15 to 200 ml range required for dry dispersions, with a filling mark for accurate dosing, are also available. Here, Type III, soda lime glass is often selected as a cost-effective option. Bottles for oral solid dosage forms complete the range for this market.

Ease of re-use (where applicable) and disposal are important attributes of glass packaging, particularly for non-parenteral products.

Amber glass dropping bottles in a range of sizes and designs to deliver essential oils in perfect condition

Aromatherapy involves the use of essential oils and other aromatic plant compounds for healing purposes and is used to treat a range of common illnesses, notably via self-medication. It is a significant branch of complementary medicine with a turnover in excess of €200M per year in France alone (2017 combined figure for pharmacies and drugstores)*. Popular essential oils include lavender, rose, tea tree, wintergreen, peppermint, Eucalyptus and mint with organic products taking a growing share of the market.

Essential oils are often simply blended with carriers for topical application or inhalation, but can also be formulated into more complex products such as pastilles, syrups and sprays. Common therapeutic areas include the treatment of colds, cough and respiratory illness, stress and relaxation, and muscle pain. Essential oils can be extremely costly, for example rose oil sells for in excess of €15,000 per litre*, and are typically packaged in amber bottles due to their high sensitivity to light. Glass packaging offers a range of attractive features for essential oils including:

• Flexibility, bottles are commercially available in a wide range of sizes and designs
• Good UV protection, amber glass is the ‘go to’ choice and is highly effective in preventing light-induced deterioration
• Sustainability, with options for easy disposal and recycling.

SGD Pharma’s comprehensive portfolio for aromatherapy products centers on molded, amber, Type III dropper bottles, a highly effective solution for essential oils, that preserves quality over an acceptable shelf-life and allows easy dispensing. Volumes ranging from 5 to 100 ml are available with a choice of neck finish types. The range also includes syrup bottles for formulated aromatherapy products.

* France AgriMer ‘La Vente de Plantes Médicinales en Pharmacie et Parapharmacie’ Années 2015 – 2016 – 2017 (Données OpenHealth Company) Janvier 2019

Secure, inert, high integrity packaging for the supply of valuable blood products

Blood transfusion is a routine and essential element of effective health care, but human blood is also processed to manufacture a wide range of extremely valuable derivatives. Labile blood components - plasma, platelets, red blood cells and white blood cells - may all be delivered as single donor products for direct transfusion; plasma derived medicines include polyvalent and specific immunoglobulins, albumin and blood coagulation factors. These may be used to treat diseases of the immune system, hemophilia, hepatitis, cirrhosis amongst many others. Increased awareness of blood and plasma donation, along with aging populations and an increased prevalence of life-threatening disorders such as hemophilia are driving growth in the use of blood plasma derivatives.

Blood derivatives are largely delivered parenterally. Key glass packaging products include injectable vials and infusion bottles with many blood plasma medicines supplied as liquids.

Critical features of glass packaging for this market include:

• Chemical stability, glass is inherently inert with barrier treatments further enhancing this characteristic
• Clarity, for ease of inspection during entire drug life cycle (from production to administration by a nurse)
• Excellent resistance to variations in temperature
• Mature filling and closing technology, high container closure integrity (CCI).

SGD Pharma offers a wide range of molded glass products directly specified to meet the demanding requirements of blood derivatives products and the fill and finish processes associated with their delivery. These products underpin our reputation and preferred supplier status with leading companies within this sector. Type II glass, soda-lime-silica or regular soda lime glass with inner surfaces treated with sulfur, offers a good balance between cost and performance for many blood and blood derivative applications. However, Type I glass is the preferences for others.