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Prefilled Syringe vs Glass Vial Processing: What's the Difference?
Although they have long been on the market, prefilled syringes (PFSs) have become an increasingly attractive choice for medical professionals in recent years.
The biologics sector is growing rapidly and is set to be worth $749.62 billion US by 2028. Increased demand for parenteral treatments, such as cell and gene therapy and COVID-19 vaccines, have led to more manufacturers turning to PFSs for their ease of use and their ability to reduce the risk of dosing errors in comparison to traditional vials.
Nevertheless, switching to prefilled syringes poses manufacturing challenges. Traditional vial and prefilled syringe fill lines are inherently different, and making the switch from traditional glass vials to PFSs requires pharma companies to consider their differences and make accommodations accordingly.
Following on from our previous blog post, here we’ll discuss these differences that manufacturers must account for in their migration to prefilled syringe devices.
What are the differences between prefilled syringe lines and glass vial lines?
Glass vial lines and prefilled syringe vial lines both require different processes to ensure uncompromised sterility ahead of the fill/finish process.
Glass Vial Lines
Depending on the vial size, washing-depyrogenation line speeds may vary to accommodate fill line outputs and ensure an optimal depyrogenation process takes place.
This process can pose challenges to drug manufacturers, including ingress of particulate matter and increased risk of glass delamination, which is usually detected after the product has been placed on stability for months or even years. manufacturers also face the risk of improper speed setup within the washing-depyrogenation tunnel, which can lead to surface scratches and an increase in rejected units.
Prefilled Syringe Fill Lines
In comparison, prefilled syringes offer significant manufacturing benefits to pharmaceutical companies, including:
What Manufacturers Need to Be Aware of When Switching to Prefilled Syringes
The process of filling the PFS into the fill suite is vastly different to the fill suite processing required for glass vials, requiring far fewer contamination controls while maintaining high levels of sterility.
By considering the material comprising the outer surfaces of the tub, as well as any effects on the prefilled syringe constituent materials inside the tub, the radiation dosage can be correctly established to ensure optimal sterility each time.
It’s important to note that the physical and chemical properties of polymers are affected by irradiation. This means that the radiation dosage should be correctly selected to minimise its effects while also ensuring proper sterilisation.
Harnessing the benefits of prefilled syringe devices
Although many drug manufacturers are already aware of the benefits of prefilled syringe vials, there are several differences in the way they are prepared and filled that must be considered.
Manufacturers making the switch must adapt their facilities and processes accordingly using the information outlined here to ensure that their future PFS projects are successful.
In our next and final blog post in this series, we’ll be discussing the analytical and engineering requirements for moving a drug product from a traditional vial into a PFS.
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