TekniPlex Healthcare, which utilizes advanced materials science expertise to help deliver better patient outcomes, will emphasize its expertise and intellectual property related to single-use bioprocessing cell & gene therapy at CPHI Milan, October 8-10.
 
The company will showcase portfolio examples for the rapidly expanding biologics sector, for which it supplies complementary solutions across upstream, downstream processing and final fill operations. Among other solutions, TekniPlex Healthcare now offers customizable barrier cleanroom films, tubing such as weldable TPE and TPV, silicone and PVC, and various compounds for associated molded components. 
 
TekniPlex Healthcare is a leader in the production and supply of tubing in a variety of configurations, grades and durometers for cell and gene therapy applications. Both single- and multi-lumen constructions are available, as are multilayer versions incorporating complementary materials for performance optimization.
 
For traditional bioprocess applications, TekniPlex Healthcare produces tight-tolerance biopharm-grade tubing constructions comprised of TPE, TPV and silicones. For each of its offerings, the company’s manufacturing prowess boasts extrusion across four continents, and covers all stages of the drug development process, from small batch production through scale-up and commercial quantities.
 
“The biologics sector is among pharma’s fastest growing niches, one with an expanding, ever-evolving need for high-quality materials and components suppliers capable of serving as true solutions partners,’ said Chris Qualters, CEO of TekniPlex Healthcare. “As we continue to build upon our concept-to-commercialization capabilities along with our capacity potential, we’re well positioned to address this sector’s needs through value-added solutions that help bring life-changing therapies to market.”
 
At CPHI Milan, TekniPlex Healthcare will provide live demonstrations of its latest filling and sealing machine for plastic containers. The Pentafill A25 Filling & Sealing Machine offers several improvements over previous models, including improved sterility and a smaller footprint.
 
The new model brings several advantages over its predecessor. In addition to the enhanced sterility afforded by fully automatic mechanisms, the machine does not require preheating with hot air, significantly mitigating any risk of compromising the filled product. The unit also has no central machine support, allowing for unobstructed laminar flow. Capable of producing up to 25 five-vial strips (125 vials total) per minute, the unit is suitable for filling a wide range of viscosities for applications serving the pharmaceutical, diagnostics, nutraceuticals and animal health markets.
 
Additionally, TekniPlex Healthcare will showcase its range of more sustainable blister packaging solutions, all suitable for running on standard blister packaging machines. Most recently, the company introduced a pharma-grade blister film with 30% post-consumer recycled content (PCR) on a mass balance basis. The solution incorporates partner company Alpek Polyester’s Octal rDPET Sheet technology and, when combined with TekniPlex’s Teknilid Push polyester lidding, yields a blister package recyclable wherever the polyester stream exists.
 
TekniPlex Healthcare will also exhibit the world’s first fully transparent recyclable mid-barrier blister package. Recyclable in geographies where the #5 (polypropylene) recycling stream is available, the mid-barrier blisters feature a polyolefin blister film paired with a barrier PP lidding film. When introduced last year, the solution marked the first time a formed blister + lidding combination with moisture barrier was certified as recyclable – a significant milestone. TekniPlex Healthcare also will exhibit a recyclable polyester mono-material blister + lidding combination, suitable for products that do not require barrier protection.
 
Finally, TekniPlex Healthcare also will showcase its Flexapharm SBC series of PVDC (polyvinylidene chloride) coated PVC structures, which offer barriers against oxygen and moisture. Also on display will be an array of Aclar laminates designed to preserve the efficacy and shelf life of drugs with demanding environmental protection requirements. The company will also emphasize its expanded capabilities for producing blown film bags in clean rooms, including a recently incorporated multilayer line at its Belgium manufacturing facility.