Packaging

THE EUROPEAN UNION SUPPORTS INNOVATION AT REXAM

Thursday 23. December 2010 - Synopsis: REXAM, at the heart of innovation.

In order to ensure high quality treatment for patients and to anticipate a growing number of market regulations, the teams at Rexam have developed a new generation of pump for nasal sprays.
The REXAM site, based in Le Tréport (76-northern France), houses the Personal Care and Healthcare activities of the Rexam Group’s Plastic Packaging Division. With approximately 600 employees and four production units – Mini-products, Cosmetics, Fragrances and Healthcare – spread over 25,000 m2, Rexam’s Le Tréport site particularly stands out for its expertise in assembly and plastic injection moulding. Today, it is one of the biggest industrial sites in France for injection presses.
In the area of healthcare, the Le Tréport site has specialised in state-of-the-art drug delivery systems such as spray pumps, metering and continuous valves, applicators and complete systems for treatment in the ENT, pulmonary and dermal spheres.
Furthermore, Rexam’s Healthcare division is a recognised specialist in drug delivery systems and medical devices for the pharmaceutical, medical and biotechnology industries.
The AdvanciaTM pump project is the outcome of close cooperation between the Rexam teams in Le Tréport and those of the Rexam Healthcare Technology Center in La Verpillière (38-eastern France). Together, they have optimised and rethought pump technology to create a completely new reference in the nasal spray sector, named AdvanciaTM.
The pump’s dosing function has been modified to spray extremely accurately and consistently, even when the pump has not been used for several weeks.
The effectiveness of the drug greatly depends on the quality and consistency of the spray. The AdvanciaTM pump guarantees a consistent spray regardless of the user. The spray and particle size provided by the pump are very consistent.
In the interest of the patient’s safety, Rexam has removed all forms of contact between the drug and metal parts, such as springs, and rubber seals. The risk of introducing foreign bodies into the delivered dose has thereby been minimised.
AdvanciaTM is ideal for the distribution of preservative-free drugs as it guarantees non-contamination at the time of spraying.
A modular approach has been applied to the pump’s design, enabling it to be used in various devices while guaranteeing its performance regardless of orientation.
Patient safety, the anticipation of new regulatory requirements and design flexibility were the three premises that underpinned the pump’s development.
This project will allow Rexam, one of the world’s main consumer packaging groups, to maintain its lead in the market and offer patients a new high performance solution.
The European Union has given its support to this innovative project through the provision of €504,000 from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).