In the run-up to CPHI Barcelona, Dexter Tjoa, CEO of Tjoapack, looks at innovations shaping the future of healthcare packaging. In this first blog in the series, he explores how partnerships with packaging experts are helping companies transform the pharmaceutical space for the better.

In the ever-evolving pharmaceutical industry, the role of packaging has become increasingly crucial. Pharmaceutical packaging is more than just attractive wrapping or a means of storing a drug product. It plays a vital role in safeguarding the integrity of medications while also enhancing convenience and adherence for patients, in a number of areas:

• Protecting against damage and environmental exposure

Secondary packaging can act as an important means of helping to protect the primary packaging — and, therefore, the product within — from breakage and exposure to the environment. Smart packaging can also be used to monitor external temperatures for sensitive therapies, such as biologics, helping to prevent temperature excursions during transport and storage that can cause these products to decay prematurely. As a result, packaging can help maximise the shelf life of a product even as it is transported long distances to reach the patient.

• Safeguarding against counterfeiting

Product packaging featuring unique identifiers and anti-tampering devices can support serialisation and other efforts designed to prevent falsified medicines from entering the supply chain.

• Enabling kitting for ease of use and self-administration

The right secondary packaging can also support efforts to enhance the usability of injectable drugs and other drug products that require devices to administer. It can enable efficient kitting processing by allowing the inclusion of vital additional materials and information to support users in administering these treatments themselves.

• Preventing children from accessing drugs

Young children are often curious about the world around them, using their hands and their sense of taste to explore. As such, it is important to protect them from substances such as drugs that may be hazardous to them. Child-proof secondary packaging has a key part to play here, preventing young people from accessing potent products in the home that are not intended for their unsupervised consumption.

The benefits of strategic partnerships

Recognizing all of this, pharmaceutical companies are forming strategic partnerships with expert contract packaging organisations (CPOs) to harness the latest innovations in packaging and ensure the success of their products. These collaborations are shaping the future of the industry, bringing innovation, efficiency and enhanced patient experiences to the forefront.

CPOs are uniquely well equipped to support the industry with this goal, enabling companies to optimise the packaging of increasingly patient-centric and complex dosage forms. Due to the nature of their role in the supply chain, they can offer pharmaceutical manufacturers expert insight into the unique packaging needs of their products. They can also provide the flexibility and the capacity needed to develop customised packaging services that can add real value for customers, benefiting their partners over the long term.

In addition to functional benefits, partnerships between pharmaceutical companies and packaging providers result in improved branding and patient experiences. Packaging plays a significant role in the branding and promotion of pharmaceutical products. CPOs can help companies create packaging designs that resonate with their target audience, effectively communicate product benefits and differentiate themselves in a competitive market.

Early collaboration is key

The success of pharmaceutical products relies on the seamless coordination between manufacturers and packaging providers from the very early stages of product development.

By collaborating from the beginning, manufacturers and CPOs can work together to enhance the efficiency, cost-effectiveness and sustainability of packaging designs. This proactive approach minimises time to market and manufacturing complexities, allowing pharmaceutical companies to deliver their products to patients faster.

Time to revolutionise your packaging with an expert partner

Pharmaceutical packaging partnerships are transforming the industry for the better, enhancing product safety, efficiency and patient satisfaction. As the pharmaceutical landscape continues to evolve, these collaborations will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the industry.

The Tjoapack team will be at CPHI to explain how strategic partnerships can help you realise the full potential of your secondary packaging. Come to our stand 3E41 or book a meeting with our experts at the event to find out more.