Gerresheimer, an innovative system and solution provider and a global partner for the pharma and biotech industry, is launching Gx Elite, a product line of glass injection vials designed to maximise patient safety and production efficiency. Top quality and shatter resistance are the key priorities of the range. The advanced primary packaging solution is particularly suitable for sophisticated drugs such as biopharmaceuticals and cytostatics.

The optional Velocity coating allows the process speed on filling lines to be significantly increased while reliably protecting the vials against scratches. Gx Elite vials can also be delivered presterilised and ready-to-fill in Gerresheimer’s innovative and sustainable EZ-fill Smart packaging, for example. Gerresheimer will be presenting these and other solutions at CPHI Barcelona from 24-26 October 2023, at booth 50 in hall 2.

“The trend toward sophisticated and innovative drugs such as biopharmaceuticals and cytostatics, as well as innovative vaccines, is placing new demands on the quality and performance of primary packing solutions,” says Holger Krenz, Global Vice President Business Development High Value Products Tubular Glass at Gerresheimer. “At the same time, these new solutions are changing the division of work between the pharmaceutical industry and packaging manufacturers.”

Up to four times more shatter-resistant

Gx Elite vials stand for high quality and shatter resistance, enabling them to reliably protect valuable drugs. They are the result of many years of product development and are manufactured in a patented production process that completely eliminates microdefects measuring 100 μm. The vials can therefore be filled with drugs quickly and safely.

Velocity coating optimises performance on filling lines

Gx Elite vials optionally come with the Velocity outer coating developed by Corning, which reduces frictional resistance and allows a more efficient filling process, significantly cutting downtimes on the filling lines. Velocity protects the high surface quality of Gx Elite vials against possible damage during the filling process. Both of these factors lead to much faster throughput on production lines and to more efficient operation of facilities.

Sustainable EZ-fill Smart packaging

Gx Elite vials are also available in the new, optimized EZ-fill Smart packaging. The innovative RTF packaging platform simplifies the filling process, cuts costs and reduces particle load by over 90% by swapping Tyvek lids for a polymer sealing film. This means that no Tyvek fibres or adhesive particles are released when peeling off the film immediately before the filling process. As a result, the risk of such particle contamination is considerably reduced. At the same time, EZ-fill Smart packaging lowers the customer’s carbon footprint by using biopolymers, reusable materials and a resource-saving sterilization process (VHP), for example.

Extensive portfolio of ready-to-fill products

Gx Elite vials are part of Gerresheimer’s extensive ready-to-fill (RTF) portfolio. Ready-to-fill products allow the pharma industry to focus on their core competencies and save the costs and time required for washing and sterilising primary packaging. As a consequence, drugs can be brought to market more quickly and with lower overall costs in the production process.

Presentation at CPHI Barcelona: minimising risk in pharmaceutical production

Holger Krenz will be speaking at CPHI Barcelona about why the product quality of injection vials is crucial for minimizing risk and increasing efficiency in pharmaceutical production. His presentation, which focuses on Gx Elite and Velocity vials, as well as the new EZ-fill Smart ready-to-fill platform, will take place at the conference centre, room 4.1, from 11.30 to 11.55am on 24 October 2023.