Gerresheimer boosts capacity in prefilled glass syringes
pharmafile | November 30, 2010 | News story | Manufacturing and Production |Â Â Gerresheimer, pharma packaging, prefilled syringesÂ
German glassware specialist Gerresheimer is planning to spend around 20 million euro upgrading its facility in Buende with a fourth production line to serve the fast-growing prefilled syringes market.
At the moment the three existing production lines manufacture ready-to-fill (RTF) syringes, but Gerresheimer wants to lay down more capacity to help it tap into the prefilled syringe market, estimated at around two billion units worldwide in 2009, with a value of $2.5 billion, according to a report published in April by market research firm Visiongain.
The sector has been growing at 10-15% a year of late, with continued strong growth expected out to 2025 driven by pressure from doctors and patients for more convenient dosage formats, and a shift away from vials and ampoules. At the same time, market growth for standard syringes has been largely flat.
“Double-digit rates of annual growth are being recorded in the prefilled glass syringe market,” said Gerresheimer, which claims a second-place ranking in the sector, currently led by Becton Dickinson.
“We are investing in this fast-growing market again to consolidate our global market position further,” commented Uwe Rohrhoff, Gerresheimer’s chief executive.
Although prefilled syringes are estimated to cost around 25% more than conventional vials and ampoules, their use in high-value medications such as biopharmaceuticals and cancer drugs is encouraging uptake, mainly because the packaging is a small component of the total price of the drug.
Meanwhile, Gerresheimer is not only boosting its position in glass prefilled syringes, but also in plastic products. The company recently introduced a new Clearject COP range of plastic prefilled syringes with barrier systems designed for use with sensitive pharmaceutical products.
The new glass syringe production line will boost Gerresheimer’s production capacity for prefilled syringes by around 120 million a year and is due to open in 2012.
Phil Taylor
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