Revolutionary blister pack with the potential to save lives

Each year, rotavirus kills 500,000 children in Africa and Asia, despite a vaccine for the diarrhoeal disease being available. Why? Because the vaccine is often too expensive to reach those who need it most, and comes in glass vials that require a temperature-controlled supply chain to preserve the vaccine’s viability.

While delivering the vaccine to large cities in developing countries might be possible, for remote, rural areas, the cold chain is difficult to maintain during transportation and without a reliable electricity supply for refrigeration. Rather than trying to avoid breaches in the cold chain, our pioneering new system has eliminated the need for it altogether.

The Multi-Chamber Blister System, developed using Amcor’s pharmaceutical packaging expertise and Rohrer’s knowledge of blister lines and sealing technology, means drugs can be transported safely – without the need for electricity at the final destination – and conveniently stored until administration at the actual point of treatment. Not only does this reduce logistical costs while maintaining drug stability, but it also means health professionals can spend more time treating patients instead of travelling to local health centres to pick up supplies.

Georg Disch, Chief Commercial Officer, Rohrer, points out that the pack ensures children in developing countries can access the drugs and vaccines they need most.

HOW IT WORKS
Typically, a standard blister system stores pharmaceutical tablets or capsules in solid dose format. Mixing liquid and unstable solid components for a vaccine or drug requires a much more complex supply chain. In the world’s most remote areas with no access to a cold supply chain, vaccines often can’t be refrigerated or preserved, dramatically reducing the shelf life. Another major issue is a lack of access to clean water, meaning drugs cannot be administered in a safe or timely manner.

Our new Multi-Chamber Blister System allows both solid and liquid multi-component drugs to be transported in the same pack – mixing happens just seconds before administration.

It is made using Amcor’s SafeMix cold-form aluminium laminates: the bottom laminate, which can be formed into cavities, and a top lid. One cavity is formed and filled with stable liquid and the other with solid drug component doses.

Once delivered to healthcare providers and patients, the components can be mixed by breaking a special inner seal (known as a frangible seal) between the two cavities. At the same time, the tightly sealed areas around the rest of the blister pack ensure there is no drug leakage when the person applies pressure to break the frangible seal.

It is this ability to keep the components separate that will allow critical, life-saving medicines and vaccines to be delivered and dispensed in some of the world’s most remote areas. Additionally, the combination of high-barrier material and tight seal ensures the integrity of moisture-sensitive active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).

THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE DESIGN
Clinical trials with pharmaceutical companies across the world demonstrate the system’s benefits, which include:

1. Ease of use: The single-dose option improves convenience and patient adherence. Mixing happens inside the pack and one of the cavities can contain clean water to combine with the solid component at point of treatment, ensuring patient safety and access to drugs in remote areas.

2. Enhanced drug stability: Drugs in liquid form are less stable than in solid form. The system ensures the safe transport and storage of sensitive APIs, which guarantees product protection and extends shelf life. The construction of the cold-form blister pack also protects the product from exposure to light.

3. Reduced need for a cold chain: Active ingredients are mixed immediately before use, which simplifies the supply chain – this can make distribution to rural areas easier and the system more cost effective.

NEXT STEPS FOR THE PARTNERSHIP
So far, the Multi-Chamber Blister System has won two awards: the Alufoil Trophy in the Technical Innovation category from the European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA) in April 2017 and the WorldStar award in the Medical and Pharmaceutical category from the World Packaging Organisation (WPO), presented in December 2017.

The awards recognise the investment made by Amcor and Rohrer, but for everyone working on the project it really is just the beginning of the journey. The system is highly versatile and we see countless opportunities to develop custom versions and respond to needs from different sectors of the healthcare market.

In partnership with Rohrer we will also work on new features – such as the addition of a straw to aid administration – and hope to see the system used as a diagnostic tool in the months ahead in areas with limited access to laboratories.