SCHOTT Pharma is introducing glass vials optimized for deep-cold storage of drugs.
These life-saving vaccines, such as gene therapy and mRNA medications must be frozen and transported at temperatures down to below 80 degrees Celsius. Due to the high thermal stress and other factors in the freezing and thawing process, conventional vials are prone to glass breakage during the process, which results in costly downtimes and drug loss. To prevent this, SCHOTT Pharma’s EVERIC® freeze vials feature improved strength thanks to optimized glass tubing, vial geometry and production process.
“Our scientific strength tests have shown that the new vials outperform standard vials, making them a dedicated solution for frozen medications used to treat infectious diseases, cancer and central nervous system disorders,” said Andreas Reisse, CEO of SCHOTT Pharma.
Pharma companies are looking for an experienced partner in terms of drug containment and delivery systems, who can provide the right solution to help shorten the time to market.
“By expanding our portfolio with the new vials, we are now the only partner to leading pharma companies, who can offer both polymer and glass solutions for deep-cold storage requirements,” added Reisse.
Additionally, drug manufacturers want to ensure that the drug remains stable until it reaches the patient. For this, the container closure integrity (CCI) is crucial. However, it, too, is at risk in deep-cold temperatures because the stoppers can shrink and lose elasticity, which could affect the drug’s efficacy. Through vigorous scientific testing with eight variants, SCHOTT Pharma found a 0 percent failure rate for all configurations, showing that CCI can be maintained for all combinations within ISO dimensions, including EVERIC® freeze vials.
The new vials are manufactured in Müllheim, Germany, which is also where SCHOTT Pharma’s competence centre is located, can be supplied as ready-to-use (RTU) if requested and are available in 2 to 30 millilitres. The solution is the newest member of the established EVERIC® portfolio, which allows pharma companies to flexibly combine features to address different needs and enhance efficiency.