4 Key Benefits of Thermoformed Pharmaceutical Packaging for Injectables

Injectable pharmaceuticals deliver medications into the bloodstream or muscle tissue, allowing for a drug’s rapid absorption and distribution throughout the human body. Depending on the intended purpose, an injectable is administered through intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous, intradermal, intrathecal, or intra-articular means. All are common practices in the medical field, as is the growing patient use of prefilled syringes, auto-injectors, and pen-injectors to self-administer prescribed medications for various therapeutic areas.

Globally, the injectable pharmaceuticals market is on track to reach $937 billion (USD) within the next decade¹, which speaks to continued R&D breakthroughs of the biotechnology industry. It also underscores the need for thermoformed trays packaging solutions that accommodate varying needs of multiple applications.

4 Benefits of Thermoformed Trays for Injectable Pharmaceuticals

Efficient, effective packaging solutions are key in consistently maintaining sterile, safe pharmaceuticals. Thermoformed trays are ideal for injectables because they offer:

1. Enhanced product protection during transport, handling, and point of use since trays can be designed to incorporate individual cavities/compartments for vials, syringes, ampoules, etc., to keep them separate, stable, and less likely to incur damage

2. Sterile barrier integrity through inhibiting penetration of particles, dust, and other contaminants. Tamper-evident seals add a layer of sterile barrier verification, and the ability to separate components in package compartments tailored to their shape further reduces the risk of contamination

3. Ease of use with features like easy-peel lids, grip tabs, and finger notches to facilitate quick, sanitary access. The stability and clarity of thermoformed trays simplify the identification, storage, and inventory management of injectable pharmaceuticals, which is particularly important for maximizing healthcare facility efficiencies

4. Packaging optimization allow ease of integration with automated filling and sealing equipment that use vision aided positioning, which can increase production speed while also reducing labor costs

Opportunities for Improved Sustainability

Collaborating with an experienced thermoformed trays supplier such as Amcor opens the door to improved sustainability profiles by evaluating:

• Materials: Are there more sustainable options available for producing secondary packaging?

• Waste reduction: How can a tray be designed to optimize materials use and reduce scrap that would otherwise route into the waste stream?

• End-of-life management: When thermoformed drug packaging is no longer usable, is recyclability possible?

A comprehensive life cycle assessment may be the best bet to understand the environmental impact of packaging solutions. Amcor’s ASSET™ assessment uses a Carbon Trust-certified toolkit to guide decision-making that leads to more sustainable packaging choices.

Thermoformed pharmaceutical packaging is a proven solution for injectables, but the trays are extremely versatile. Learn more about how Amcor is using thermoformed trays in advancing medical and pharmaceutical device packaging for the future.

SOURCE
¹FMI, Injectable Drugs Market Outlook (2022 to 2032), Undated