The pharmaceutical industry faces significant challenges in its mission to provide safe, effective, and affordable products. Noam Nahari, VP marketing & business development at LOG Pharma Primary Packaging discusses.
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Achieving this goal is particularly demanding for suppliers to the drug industry, which must consistently meet stringent standards while controlling costs.
Amid this reality, the R&D team at LOG Pharma Primary Packaging, which has been developing innovative packaging solutions for the international pharmaceutical and medical sectors for more than 50 years, was presented with a formidable task several years ago. Pushing boundaries, management asked the team to develop a packaging solution that would maximise the stability of pharmaceutical formulations, reduce production costs, and meet sustainability goals.
LOG’s development team has managed to find an appropriate solution, the new barrier eco line. This solution not only leverages LOG’s established expertise in high-performance pharma-grade polymers passive barrier solutions but also redefines sustainability in the pharmaceutical packaging space by offering superior cost-efficiency and environmental benefits.
Rethinking barrier bottles
Barrier packaging is an essential component in the pharmaceutical industry, ensuring the safety, efficacy, and shelf life of medications. With up to 90 percent of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) sensitive to moisture or oxygen, barrier packaging plays a pivotal role in protecting drugs from external factors such as light, contaminants, and environmental conditions.
While traditional barrier solutions safeguard medication potency and prevent degradation, the pharmaceutical packaging industry is under increasing pressure to meet stringent sustainability goals. This includes reducing environmental impact through the use of eco-friendly materials, promoting circularity, and minimising waste – all while adhering to strict regulatory standards.
LOG’s R&D team approached the challenge with an innovative mindset, carefully evaluating multiple factors including permeation, polymer structure, and environmental conditions. Initially, the team explored alternative materials to replace plastic, but concluded that these alternatives would lead to higher greenhouse gas emissions. Instead, they chose to optimise their existing plastic solutions by focusing on reducing material weight, extending shelf life, and improving production processes.
The innovation: Lighter, cheaper, and sustainable
LOG’s breakthrough came from enhancing its already successful OxyBlock series, a passive barrier line of products, which has been a trusted solution in the American market for more than a decade. LOG’s traditional barrier line of products already provided exceptional protection against moisture and oxygen. In order to maintain the high standards customers had come to expect, the company decided to improve the existing product rather than starting from scratch.
By leveraging unique technologies, LOG reduced the weight of its barrier layer while preserving its protective properties. Additionally, the team collaborated with DOW to develop a product with an innovative pharma-grade HDPE resin with superior gas barrier characteristics. This advanced material enabled LOG to reduce bottle weight by up to 30% while ensuring high-performance protection for sensitive pharmaceutical products.
Benefits
The new barrier eco Line offers a host of advantages:
- High barrier performance: Ensures optimal protection for a wide range of sensitive products
- Minimal need for drop-ins: Streamlined design reduces dependency on active agents such as desiccant and oxygen scavenger.
- Optimal weight and material usage: Reduced weight without compromising on quality
- Cost-effectiveness: Contrary to many sustainable products, this solution is more affordable than alternatives.
By focusing on optimisation, LOG has delivered a product that is not only environmentally friendly but also cost-effective, and managed to reduce costs by 50%. This innovative solution demonstrates that sustainability and affordability can coexist, debunking the common misconception that eco-friendly solutions are inherently more expensive.
A vision for a more sustainable future
LOG’s Barrier eco Line underscores the company’s unwavering commitment to excellence, innovation, and sustainability. By building on the strengths of its existing products and integrating cutting-edge technologies, LOG has managed to deliver a sustainable solution that meets the evolving needs of the pharmaceutical industry, while maintaining competitive pricing.