For the first time, materials specialist Covestro will be exhibiting at Pharmapack when the show runs from 6-7 February.
Tradeshow
The company will be showcasing its Aepc 1745 construction material, which was recently used by medical technology specialist Gerresheimer as parts of its Gx TELC syringe.
The design of the syringe was concerned with ease of use to ensure that the patient is reliably supplied with the intended dose of the active substance. The adapter – which is used for screwing in the needle and syringe cap – played a key role in this aspect.
Gerresheimer used Covestro’s Apec 1745 as material for the adapter, as it ensures the “component does not warp after hot steam sterilisation”, according to Dr Wenzel Novak, global senior director business development at Gerresheimer.
The material is characterised by its high heat resistance and can be sterilised using conventional methods such as gamma rays of ethylene oxide.
"In addition, it is dimensionally stable and dimensionally accurate at high temperatures, so that the entire component does not warp after hot steam sterilisation at 143 °C, for example. As a result, the closure for opening the syringe remains defined in every situation and enables an easy screwing in of the tube," Dr Novak said.
The system comprising an adapter and a closure is produced by two-component injection moulding as a hard-soft combination. First the adapter is made of copolycarbonate, then the cap is injected with a thermoplastic elastomer. "The hard thermoplastic and the soft elastomer form a firm adhesive layer. There are no chemical reactions that could cause increased torques," explains Dr Martin Doebler, medical technology specialist at Covestro.
The combination of closure and adapter in one component not only offers ease of use to patients and clinicians, but also reduces costs for the manufacturer through a simplified process. When in use, turning the cap opens the syringe, releasing tabs that spread and prevent the cap from closing again. This means that the syringe cannot be opened and closed unnoticed. This tamper-evident feature prevents misuse of the systems and counterfeit products with regard to medicines
