SCHOTT Pharma, a pioneer in pharma drug containment solutions and delivery systems, is announcing the availability of its ready-to-use (RTU) cartridges for clinical and commercial filling. The small volume cartridges are particularly suitable for administering insulin and GLP-1 drugs, which are used to treat diabetes and obesity, while the large volume cartridges are suitable to store high-value biologics to treat cancer or Parkinson’s disease, for example. As a RTU solution, the containers are washed, depyrogenated, siliconized and steam sterilized, which allows CDMOs and pharma companies to immediately start the filling process without having to handle the preparatory steps themselves. “We see ourselves as a partner to the pharma industry and our RTU portfolio reduces the workload for drug manufacturers as we’re taking care of time- and cost-intensive process steps ourselves,” said Andreas Reisse, CEO of SCHOTT Pharma. RTU solutions are already established to fill smaller drug charges for clinical trials and are now increasingly used in commercial drug production. The company offers a complete RTU portfolio including cartridges, syringes, and vials, and is ready to supply large quantities for human use.
Made of high-quality borosilicate glass, SCHOTT Pharma’s RTU cartridges allow for improved drug stability thanks to an optimized leachable behavior of the glass and prequalified components, such as combi-seals and plungers. “With our RTU cartridges, we’re able to help pharma companies, CDMOs and start-ups alike to maintain a short time to market, while increasing processing and output efficiency,” explains Elisa Wiesner, Global Product Manager for bulk and sterile cartridges at SCHOTT Pharma. “Subsequently, the drugs can reach the patients in a timely and safe manner.”
The RTU cartridges known as cartriQ® are compatible with hand-held injection devices such as pens and autoinjectors, while the cartriQ® Large Volume products are ideally suited for wearable large-volume injectors (LVI). The prequalified device fit supports the shift from hospital to home care, whereby patients can safely inject drugs themselves in the comfort of their homes.
As part of the SCHOTT iQ® platform, which also includes RTU syringes and vials, the RTU cartridges are delivered in an industry-standard nest and tub and remain nested throughout the filling process. This eliminates glass-to-glass contact and allows pharma companies full flexibility when filling different medications in different containers on one filling line.
