Evolving Component Technologies To Meet The Needs Of Cartridge Delivery Applications

By Simon Côté, Royce Brockett, West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.

As the industry continues to see significant growth for drug products developed in cartridges, there is a trend for pharmaceutical companies to evaluate more complex drug molecules, such as biologics, that require higher injection volume or viscosity.

These biologics are typically intended for self-administration by the patient and integrate a prefilled syringe (PFS) or cartridge with a delivery device to optimize safety, dose accuracy, and ease of use. Current component technologies for cartridge-based drug delivery pose challenges: 1) evolving cartridge components, containers, and devices are applying new technologies to address large complex molecule requirements; 2) selection of wearable or handheld devices is driven by multiple factors; and 3) fill-finish related processes are a key consideration when implementing novel components and containers for cartridges.

In order to address these challenges, the next generation of cartridge components are evolving in the several ways.