Packaging

Gerresheimer presents a highly innovative plastic development for sensitive injection substances

Friday 12. November 2010 - New COP multilayer vials: barrier properties in previously unattained perfection

Glass-clear, break-resistant and biocompatible: Work continuing on ready-to-fill version of new vials

They are glass-clear, of standard dimensions and almost unbreakable – above all however they have barrier properties which are unique for plastic: COP multilayer vials of a substantially new type. Through them, Gerresheimer offers a previously unattained quality of plastic injection vial for sensitive parenteral medicines. The innovation with a triple-layer structure is presented by the company at Pharmapack in Paris for the first time (February 1 – 2, 2010, Stand A3).

COP stands for Cyclic Olefin Polymer. This heavy-metal-free plastic, which Gerresheimer has also used for sterile syringes over many years, has specific advantages which makes it particularly suitable for the demanding field of cytostatics and biopharmaceutics. On the one hand it is thermally and mechanically very durable. Secondly, in comparison with other relevant plastic types its inert surface has a much lower propensity to adsorb proteins for example. And the oxygen barrier properties are among the best in the field of plastics.

With the new development, the injection specialists in Gerresheimer have now succeeded in substantially enhancing these barrier properties even further – to several times that of vials consisting of COP alone – by combining two COP outer layers with a middle layer of polyamide. This outstanding material meets the highest demands in terms of biocompatibility and naturally all the pharmacopoeia requirements for pharmaceutical primary packaging made of plastic. In addition, it can easily be combined with standardized rubber closures and flanged caps: the vials are consistently designed in accordance with the ISO standard.