The glass-clear vials are virtually unbreakable and have a triple-layer structure that is claimed to offer oxygen barrier properties far superior to standard plastic vials. Two outer layers of cyclic olefin polymer (COP) are combined with an inner layer of polyamide to give a barrier several times greater than that of vials made of COP alone.
Gerresheimer has used COP, which is free of heavy metals, for its sterile syringes for many years. The material is thermally and mechanically very durable, while its inert surface has a much lower propensity to adsorb proteins compared with other relevant plastic types, making it particularly suitable for the demanding field of cytostatics and biopharmaceuticals.
"In a short time we will also be able to supply the multilayer vials sterile and completely ready-to-fill - to the same standard as our RTF and Clearject syringe," says Burkhard Lingenberg, director of marketing and communication for the Gerresheimer Group.
