West Pharmaceutical Services introduced Westar Ready-to-Use (RU) steam-sterilized plungers, designed to reduce risk for chemical and physical deterioration of plungers through an optimized steam sterilization cycle. According to the company, the plungers can minimize impact on elastomers’ physical characteristics and chemical oxidation and degradation, decrease and lower the levels of extractables, with less potential for interaction between the plunger and the drug, and improve prefilled syringe functionality with more consistent break loose forces.

“Choosing Westar RU steam plungers can streamline the manufacturing process by moving many of the processes related to closure preparation, including sterilization and washing, from the drug manufacturer to West,” said Tibor Hlobik, associate director, marketing, PFS Technologies. “This can help manufacturers move their product to market faster in a high-quality system that helps mitigate risk.”

The Westar RU steam sterilization process is fully validated. Plungers are available for rapid order fulfillment in formulations from West and its partner, Daikyo Seiko, Ltd. The plungers fit standard prefillable syringes and comply with U.S., European and Japanese pharmacopeias.