Developing a new medication or updating the packaging, branding and marketing potential of an existing pharmaceutical product is an important step for any pharmaceutical manufacturer.
Most pharmaceutical companies don’t complete their own packaging; rather they turn to specialized companies offering pharmaceutical contract packaging. For many new medications, these companies can be very instrumental in the drug formulation and the development stages, but even if that is being done in-house involving the contract packing company early in the process can be a significant benefit.
Packaging and Drug Forms
Choosing a specific form of a drug is going to have an impact on option for a pharmaceutical contract packaging company. For example, liquids such as syrups, solutions, suspension or emulsions will typically be packaged in bottles, ampules, vials or perhaps in single oral dosage packaging.
Semi-solids such as gels, creams, lotions or ointments will be packaged in bottles, jars or individual use ampules. Solid types of medications such as capsules, tablets or pills can be packaged in bulk in bottles or single dosage units in blister packs.
Within each of these broad categories of packaging, there is a range of choices. These choices will depend on the type of medication, concerns about interactions with packaging materials, the need to protect the medication from UV light, heat or other types of environmental exposure.
Of course, all pharmaceutical contract packaging companies will also work within full compliance of packaging requirements for tamper-proof and safe packaging based on the type of medication and specific requirements of the target patient group.
When the contract packaging services are involved early in the pharmaceutical design and development phase, considerations as to form and options in packaging can be addressed early. This allows the manufacturer greater freedom to understand how the drug can be packaged and how that may impact marketing once the drug gets to market.
