| By Liu Yuanyuan, Asia Manufacturing |
| Friday, 25 April 2008 |
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With the increasing optimization of China’s pharmaceutical market as well as more stringent requirements raised for pharmaceutical packaging, the country’s packaging makers have made remarkable progress in terms of expanding the size of their operations, upgrading manufacturing technology and improving managerial skillsets as well as widening product lines and upgrading product quality. Pharmaceutical glass, which has found wide applications across the sector, is experiencing strong growth.
Drug stability may deteriorate as a result of exposure to, humidity, air, |
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light, animalcules or a wide fluctuation in temperature.
Glass packaging bottle, however, has a competitive edge in this aspect over its counterparts due to its superior protection performance and chemical stability, making it the best and most commonly used packaging option for drugs, which, in turn, adds |
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to the market value and outlook of pharmaceutical glass. In addition, its transparent and better aesthetic appearance, lower costs as well as recyclable quality make it an eco-friendly material.
At present, pharmaceutical glass, with its unique characteristics and strong points, has been widely applied in a broad range of packaging fields in China including injections, powder injections, biological medicines, blood products, lyophilized preparations and liquid tonics.
The products finding an application for pharmaceutical glass packaging fit into seven categories: packaging for pre-filled injections, infusions, liquid tonics and tablets, capsules and pre-filled injectors. The pre-filled injectors are the most widely used. Compared with traditional packaging, pre-filled injectors are considered safer and more reliable. In addition, ease of use makes it a time-saver. Thanks to decreased costs from production to application, the |
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technology and product have been used in clinic trials in countries outside of China for several years.
Glass infusion bottles are resistant to high temperatures, airproof and easy to sterilize, making them the packaging of choice for general infusion preparations. In addition, despite the fact that tablet and capsule packaging is increasingly being displaced by plastic bottles and aluminum foil material in recent years, the lightweight, light-resistant yellow or white pharmaceutical glass bottle still has an irreplaceable advantage giving it ample room to develop in the market.
Despite China’s huge progress in the manufacturing of pharmaceutical glass in recent years, the country’s pharmaceutical glass production still lags behind that of its overseas counterparts. As a result, Chinese pharmaceutical glass makers should pay more attention to the upgrading their manufacturing processes, in an effort to catch up with their overseas rivals. |
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