Originally Published PMPN December 2001
CASE HISTORY
Packaging Home HealthcareA biopharmaceutical company turns to form-fill-seal machinery to speed production.
Multiple
sclerosis patients often suffer from numbness in their extremities and a loss
of muscle coordination that may hamper their ability to successfully handle
and administer medication on their own. For these patients, easy-to-use packaging
is essential.
Biogen (Cambridge, MA) addressed this need by streamlining its entire packaging
operation with in-line thermoforming to simplify labor and to accommodate the
sophisticated, user-friendly design of its self-injection package for multiple
sclerosis patients.
Prior to its new packaging process, Biogen had been purchasing preformed trays
and die-cut lids to hold the contents of its multiple sclerosis injection kits
for home healthcare. Michael S. Bergey, project engineering manager with Biogen’s
packaging partner, PCI Services (Philadelphia), a subsidiary of Cardinal Health
Inc., explains: "We shipped the trays from our manufacturing plant to our
Philadelphia packaging facility, where they were placed on a conveyor one at
a time and loaded manually. The filled trays were then placed into a sealing
machine, and die-cut, preprinted Tyvek lids were placed on top and heat sealed
to the trays to complete the assembly."
When Biogen’s output demands increased, PCI recommended streamlining the
process by employing a horizontal thermoform-fill-seal machine. "Working
with PCI, we identified a machine, manufactured by Multivac in Kansas City,
MO, that would speed up the process and allow us to handle the continued growth
forecast for the product," says Todd Smith, Biogen’s supply chain
manager. PCI recommended the Multivac R530 thermoform-fill-seal machine based
on prior experience with the manufacturer’s high standards of quality and
service. "As packaging is not Biogen’s core competency, it purchased
the machine but decided to locate it at our Philadelphia packaging facility,"
says Bergey.
Smith reports that the company has experienced increased efficiency as a result
of the Multivac R530 machine. "Instead of producing trays at a separate
operation off-site and shipping them to the packaging facility to be stored
for future use, we now simply purchase rolls of plastic and form the [packages]
right on-line. The result is that we’re able to run the line a lot faster."
According to Bergey, the biggest differences are throughput, repeatability,
and a lower cost per unit. Joe Martin, general manager of Multivac’s medical
division, explains: "The machine produces 32 packages a minute, which is
approximately double the previous output. The registration control allows for
a more precise cutoff, and the sealing parameters are better controlled. At
a reduced cost, Biogen gets a more attractive, higher-quality package with the
features patients need."
The package accommodates eight items in a wide range of shapes and sizes and
includes a number of features that facilitate use by multiple sclerosis patients
who may lack dexterity. The Tyvek lid, for instance, overhangs the package by
about 40 mm. This long flap has two punched holes through which patients can
insert their fingers to peel the lid off easily. “We achieved just the
right pull strength so that the package would remain sealed while still being
easy for patients to peel off,” says Smith. The design further incorporates
a feature that allows multiple sclerosis patients to remove the medicine vial
from the package and then place it into an indent in the bottom of the package
where it stands upright for easy loading of the syringe.
The thermoform-fill-seal machine also includes a bar code scanner. "As
trays exit the machine, it verifies the bar code and rejects any package with
an incorrect or illegible code," says Martin. "A single, sophisticated,
high-speed packaging machine performs the entire operation with minimal human
supervision. It thermoforms the [packages] with intricate detail, punches the
holes in the Tyvek lid, seals and completes the [packages], and verifies the
bar code."
"We're getting a lot of positive feedback from patients," says Smith.
"They’re particularly happy that we provide all of the components
they need to administer the pharmaceutical product at home."
Copyright ©2001 Pharmaceutical & Medical Packaging News
