Sensitive biologics and biosimilars require special protection against oxygen to maintain their stability and efficacy. Although packaging such active ingredients in COC (cyclo-olefin copolymer) syringes offers advantages such as low weight and high break resistance, the increased gas permeability presents a challenge. Schreiner MediPharm has responded to this by developing functional labels with an integrated gas barrier that significantly reduce oxygen ingress into COC syringes.
COC syringes are gaining importance in the pharmaceutical industry as they offer greater design freedom and reduced protein adsorption compared to glass. These properties make them particularly suitable for packaging modern biologics and biosimilars. However, their higher gas permeability can jeopardise the stability of sensitive active ingredients. This is where the new functional labels from Schreiner MediPharm come in, which have been specially developed for this type of syringe.
Two solutions
The labels developed by Schreiner MediPharm are capable of significantly reducing oxygen permeation into COC syringes without requiring any modifications to the primary container or existing production processes. Two main solutions are offered: the Gas-Protect-Label and the Syringe-Closure-Wrap. Whilst the Gas-Protect-Label covers the entire syringe body to minimise oxygen ingress, the Syringe-Closure-Wrap additionally encloses the syringe cap and is sealed in a virtually gas-tight manner. This dual protective function not only provides a barrier against oxygen, but also offers tamper evidence through an integrated first-opening indication.
Efficacy scientifically proven
The effectiveness of the gas barrier labels has been confirmed by external tests. Prof. Dr. Sven Sängerlaub from Munich University of Applied Sciences conducted investigations in which an optical oxygen sensor was used to measure the oxygen concentration in nitrogen-flushed and sealed COC syringes over a prolonged period. In the case of a 1 ml Schott Toppac syringe, the Gas-Protect label extended the time until a critical oxygen concentration was reached by approximately sevenfold compared to an unlabelled syringe. The syringe closure wrap with an integrated gas barrier even achieved a protective effect that was around ten times longer.
Basis for packaging development
These test results confirm the effectiveness of Schreiner MediPharm's labels with an integrated barrier function, providing pharmaceutical manufacturers with a reliable basis for their packaging development. The solutions are individually adapted to the syringe type and the active ingredient contained, and enable the simple implementation of an oxygen barrier without changes to the primary packaging or production process. This allows sensitive biologics and biosimilars in COC syringes to be reliably and efficiently protected against oxygen ingress.
Source: Schreiner MediPharm
