Pharmapack Europe announces the winners of the prestigious Pharmapack 2024 awards covering four categories divided into two specific awards.
Prizes Health Product Awards are open to the entire pharmaceutical industry, with winners in ecodesign and patient-centered design, while the awards Exhibitor Awards They celebrate excellence in packaging and innovation in start-ups. The standard in the packaging innovation and eco-design categories was so high that the judges also awarded a High Mention to two second-place entries.
HEALTH PRODUCT AWARDS
ECO-DESIGN WINNER
Rotor Print for Recyclable Sticks
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Klim-Loc Medical, LLC for Klim-Loc Needleless Medical Vial
PATIENT-CENTRIC DESIGN WINNER
Dr. Ferrer Biopharma for GentleMist Technology
INNOVATION EXHIBITOR
PACKAGING INNOVATION winner
Nissha Europe GmbH for Pulp-Injection Autoinjector Component
HIGHLY COMMENDED
CORADIN for the GREENIS Dispenser
START-UP INITIATIVE WINNER
Capa Valve Ltd for Capa Valve
Prizes
A new injection molding technology that uses pulp instead of plastics and a dispenser that revolutionizes the way medicines are administered intranasally were recognized for their innovative approach to product development at the prestigious Pharmapack awards ceremony. Two further prizes were also awarded, one for a system that enables rapid and easy administration of lyophilized injectable drug combinations and the second for a recyclable monomaterial stick for pharmaceuticals. Finally, a needleless vial and cap system and a dispenser that offers more precise dosing were highly praised for their innovation.
In the Packaging Innovation section of the Exhibitor Innovation category, Nissha Europe was selected as the winner for the development of a pulp injection autoinjector component, a new injection molding technology that uses pulp instead of plastics.
Pulp-Injection is suitable for both device components and secondary packaging. It mainly uses pulp and starch, resulting in a significant reduction in plastic use. Additionally, components manufactured in this way can be recycled within a standard paper recycling system. However, thanks to its rigidity, Pulp-Injection can achieve complex design and high dimensional accuracy.
The judges also praised Coradin for your Greenis dispenser. In addition to being designed to facilitate precise dosing of serums and creams, it is also made from 75% post-consumer recycled plastic.
The Start-Up Innovation award went to Capa Valve Ltd by a system that allows a standard syringe to be compartmentalized in a dual-chamber device. Capa Valve involves the installation of two small parts inside existing standard syringes suitable for pre-filled applications.
Currently, there are a few companies that offer dual-chamber syringes for sequentially administered liquids or for premixing a diluent and a lyophilized drug, largely due to their cost and perceived complexity. However, the key feature of the Capa Valve system is that it can be produced at a comparatively low cost for any standard size syringe using known fill/finish technology to provide a range of functionality.
The Patient-Centered Design award went to Dr. Ferrer Biopharma, whose company impressed the judges with its GentleMist technology (GMT). This next-generation drug delivery device revolutionizes the way medications are administered intranasally, offering greater convenience, targeted drug delivery and therapeutic benefits. Traditional mouthpieces often cause discomfort and pain due to the pressure exerted during administration, making it difficult for the patient to comply and negatively impacting the overall treatment experience. GMT addresses this challenge using advanced fluid dynamics principles and engineering expertise focusing on a smoother, more effective nasal spray nozzle.
In the Ecodesign section, the clear winner was Rotor Print for its development of a recyclable bar suitable for a wide range of current pharmaceutical products and applications.
Most conventional bars are made up of three, four or even five layers of different materials, usually combinations of polyester, aluminum, paper and polyethylene. This approach means that these structures cannot be recycled as it is impossible to separate the different layers. Rotor Print solved this problem by creating a new bar made up of three layers of the same material, making it completely recyclable. Additionally, this new design can be used in the same processes as current non-recyclable rods, meaning laboratories can make a beneficial change without a large investment in new machinery.
In fact, this is the second year in a row that Rotor Print has been rewarded for its innovative approach to pharmaceutical packaging. In 2023 it received an award for developing a high-quality 100% PET blister that provides an equivalent barrier to the traditional aluminum or PVC lid.
The judges also highly praised Klin-Loc Medical for its Needless Medical Vial, the only vial and cap system that can be packaged during the fill/finish process and delivered as a completely needle-free pack. Its patented composition features a medical-grade polymer threaded nipple attached to an elastomer septum. Simply twist the Flip-Off cap and twist the Luer-Lock (threaded) syringe to access the contents.
Commenting on the innovation showcased at this year's Pharmapack Europe Awards, Tara Dougal, Pharma content director at Informa, added: “What's so impressive about our 2024 winners is that all of the entries are either advanced technologies that are bringing vital improvements in greener production or are putting the patient front and center of the development process. I congratulate all of our winners for their commitment and contributions to the industry.”
