Simplifying self-medication: SCHOTT expands cartridge production

SCHOTT Pharma is again announcing plans to expand its manufacturing facilities. With a double-digit million Euro investment, the company aims to significantly increase its production capacity for cartridges in China and in Hungary.

Key highlights:

• The double-digit million Euro investment is designed to significantly increase the production capacities for pharmaceutical cartridges in Hungary and China.
• Cartridges are used to store and administer drugs, such as insulin, GLP-1, or growth hormones, which can be self-injected with the help of an auto-injector. 
• The expansions follow a number of investment announcements, including plans to increase the production capacity of ready-to-use cartridges in Switzerland.

“Pharmaceutical cartridges are an essential component of injection devices, such as pen, auto and wearable injectors, that make it easier for the patient to self-administer insulin and other drugs in a home or hospital care setting. This is a growing trend and by expanding our manufacturing capacities, we are supporting the pharma industry in enhancing patient comfort,” explains Andreas Reisse, CEO of SCHOTT Pharma.

“Pharma companies rely on a supplier with a global production footprint, who can deliver the quantities they need and can optimally tailor its capacity increases to their future business. Already today, we’re present in all major regions of the world and the leading insulin providers in Asia and Europe rely on our cartridges,” says Frank Bellemans, vice president for Global Operations at SCHOTT Pharma.

The expansions follow a number of investment announcements, including plans to increase the production capacity of ready-to-use cartridges in Switzerland.

Medical therapies often require patients to receive a drug frequently over a long time, which can impact the lives of the patients tremendously. Pharma companies are therefore looking for ways to enhance patient comfort. This can be achieved by enabling patients to perform the required drug administration themselves using pen or auto injectors. These rely on pharmaceutical cartridges or syringes that combine the capabilities of safe storage and accurate injection of the contained drug.

SCHOTT Pharma cartridges are compatible with a wide range of devices to enable safe and easy-to-use drug delivery in highly accurate doses. As a non-sterile variant, the cartridges are available in 1-20 ml formats and delivered in a tray with optional dividers. The investment will further allow the company to advance its forming technology and 100% on-line inspection systems.