Detecting tampering, safeguarding integrity, digitizing supply chains—these requirements are playing an increasing role in pharmaceutical packaging. With its new Cap-Lock Solution for Vials, Schreiner MediPharm in cooperation with CDMO OECHSLERhealth has developed a solution addressing precisely this challenge. The holistic security solution was unveiled at Pharmapack in Paris and met with strong interest.

The integrity of primary containers is of central importance along the entire pharmaceutical supply chain—from the filling stage to administration to the patient. In the case of vials, flip-off caps offer a certain level of protection but are prone to tampering without it being detectable by the user. That’s exactly where Schreiner MediPharm’s Cap-Lock comes into play by enabling a first-opening indication that is unequivocal, irreversible, and clearly visible. Due to the interlocking of the specially developed plastic cap from OECHSLERhealth with the flip-off cap of the vial, and the Cap-Lock Label applied on top of it featuring a special security design, any opening attempt is immediately visible, precluding any undetected recapping.

Analogue Security Meets Digital Intelligence
Besides its analog security function Cap-Lock for Vials supports digitalization of pharmaceutical applications. A label-integrated RFID chip enables digital first-opening indication and tracking of individual vials on unit level. The RFID functionality enables thus automated medication management in hospital settings and helps optimize processes and avoid inventory errors. Previously opened vials can be automatically detected, which signifcantly enhances patient safety. An additional NFC functionality enables smartphone-based authentication and supports product and brand protection.

Combined Expertise
The implementation of Cap-Lock for Vials is the result of the targeted collaboration of two specialists. While Schreiner MediPharm contributed its many years of expertise in the development of multifunctional high-tech labels and comprehensive RFID know-how, OECHSLERhealth designed the custom-fit plastic cap. The focus was on achieving an efficient, reliable, and feasible solution meeting the requirements of the pharmaceutical industry in terms of product and patient safety.

Strong Interest at Pharmapack
At Pharmapack in Paris, Schreiner MediPharm presented Cap-Lock for Vials to an international audience of industry professionals for the first time. Response at the trade show booth was very positive. Especially the combination of clear first-opening indication and digital functionality met with strong interest by pharmaceutical manufacturers and packaging experts. Cap-Lock shows how analog security and digital added value can be effectively combined and how innovative packaging solutions deliver concrete answers to growing demands made on product integrity, transparency, and automation.

How much a drug is exposed to oxygen often determines its stability and shelf life in the case of sensitive active ingredients (APIs). Schreiner MediPharm has developed functional labels with an integrated gas barrier specifically for prefilled COC syringes to reliably protect oxygen-sensitive substances such as biologics and biosimilars. Independent tests conducted by the Munich University of Applied Sciences now impressively demonstrate how effective this solution is.

Oxygen as a Risk
Compared to glass, COC syringes offer pharmaceutical manufacturers numerous benefits such as higher break resistance and lower weight. At the same time, their comparatively higher gas permeability poses a challenge, especially in the case of sensitive APIs because oxygen ingress can promote oxidation processes and thus impair the shelf life and efficacy of the substances.

Barrier in the Label
Functional labels with an integrated gas barrier offer an efficient way to clearly reduce oxygen diffusion. Schreiner MediPharm has developed a variety of label concepts for this purpose that can efficiently be implemented without requiring changes to the primary containers or existing production processes. These include the Gas-Protect-Label that covers a large part of the syringe body, and the Syringe-Closure-Wrap that additionally wraps around the syringe cap and is gastightly sealed at the top.

Proven Effectiveness
To objectively evaluate the protective effect of these solutions, the Munich University of Applied Sciences conducted extensive tests and calculations concerning oxygen ingress. The results showed that the increase in oxygen concentration is significantly retarded in labeled COC syringes. While in the case of an unlabeled syringe, the critical level of ten percent was reached relatively soon, that period was prolonged approximately by a factor of seven for instance with a 1-ml SCHOTT TOPPAC® syringe equipped with a Gas-Protect-Label compared to an unprotected 1-ml-syringe. The utilization of the Syringe-Closure-Wrap even resulted in as much as a ten-fold retardation.

Flexible and Tested
The test results impressively confirm the effectiveness of Schreiner MediPharm’s barrier labels. They provide pharmaceutical manufacturers with a validated, flexibly adaptable solution to reliably protect sensitive substances in COC syringes from oxygen ingress—individually adapted to the syringe type and API.

More fill volume, higher viscosity: Modern active ingredients (APIs) put totally new demands on syringes. With Needle-Trap, Schreiner MediPharm offers a unique label-based needle protection system that now is also available for large-volume syringes. The further development of Needle-Trap combines safety, cost efficiency, and sustainability.

Biologics and biosimilars are becoming increasingly important, with large-volume syringes up to 5 ml frequently being used for the highly viscous APIs with larger molecular structures. At the same time, the protection against needlestick injuries for users and healthcare staff remains indispensable. A protection that needs to be adapted to the changed requirements to achieve smooth processability in manufacturing environments and reliable functionality in final use.

Further Development for Larger Syringe Sizes
Schreiner MediPharm has subjected the proven Needle-Trap needle protection system to further development specifically for use with 2.25-ml-, 3-ml-, and 5-ml-syringes. Design and function of the label with an integrated needle trap have been adapted to the specific requirements of large-volume syringes. Extensive tests ensure that the needle protection label can be produced both with process stability at Schreiner MediPharm and reliably dispensed on systems in pharmaceutical manufacturing environments.

Sustainable, Efficient, and User-Friendly
The new version retains the special benefits of Needle-Trap. Compared to conventional needle protection systems or autoinjectors, the compact label design enables significant savings in terms of material consumption, costs, and CO₂ emissions. In addition, pharmaceutical manufacturers benefit from smooth integration into existing processes while end users are provided with ease of use and reliable protection against needlestick injuries. The innovative evolution is suitable for use with novel drugs and offers further potential for a cost-efficient and sustainable pharmaceutical supply chain.

With the Quanta™ pen, SHL Medical has introduced a new injector platform that has been developed for weight management therapies. The multi-dose platform device addresses central requirements of modern long-term therapies. Schreiner MediPharm has complemented the Quanta™ pen with a multifunctional and perfectly fitting label solution.

Platform for Exacting Requirements
SHL Medical is a global leader in the development and manufacturing of self-injection solutions headquartered in Switzerland. The Quanta™ pen was developed specifically for cardio-metabolic long-term therapies and addresses key aspects such as intuitive handling, consistent dosing performance, efficient operational costs, and sustainability. The automatic spring-driven mechanism with fixed dose setting reduces injection preparation steps and supports a steady injection rhythm—an important prerequisite for medication adherence and patient safety in the case of weekly use.

Short Time to Market
To satisfy the rapidly growing demand for weight management medications, reliable system solutions are crucial. The combination of a platform pen and functional label offers precisely that advantage. Schreiner MediPharm developed a perfectly fitting label that adopts SHL Medical’s branding while integrating added functional value. An anti-slip varnish improves grip and supports safe handling while a holographic effect serves as an overt security feature and enhances the design. The pen plus label facilitates fast integration into pharmaceutical manufacturing thus supporting shorter time to market.

Connectivity and Differentiation
As a special feature, a label-integrated NFC chip enables a wide range of options for digital applications and easy interaction with the end user. Content such as product information, user guidance, or service offerings can be conveniently read via smartphone. In addition, the functional label provides further options for customized differentiation. Additional security, design, or functional elements can be integrated as needed to specifically adapt the pen to the brand, application, or market strategy.
This co-marketing project is a case in point showing how two leading experts pool their expertise to functionally and digitally extend platform devices in combination with specialty labels.

Trust is built where smart solutions work seamlessly—whether in everyday life, in hospitals, or in pharmaceutical manufacturing. That’s where RFID solutions from Schreiner MediPharm come into play: with high-performance, customized Pharma-RFID-Labels that can reliably be integrated into existing processes and support patients. The new RFID video shows why “Pharma-RFID that outperforms” is far more than just a claim.

In the pharmaceutical sector, RFID is a lot more than a technology for identification—it’s a crucial element for reliable processes and transparency along the entire supply chain. Schreiner MediPharm develops RFID-Labels that are designed precisely for that purpose: powerful, robust, and consistently tailored to the special requirements of pharmaceutical products.

Schreiner MediPharm combines many years of pharmaceutical expertise with comprehensive development and testing capabilities as well as scalable production capacities. This results in RFID solutions that can smoothly be integrated into existing production and logistics processes and reliably ensure their functionality across the entire product lifecycle.

A look at Schreiner MediPharm’s new video shows what convinces pharmaceutical customers day by day: RFID solutions that don’t have to be made to fit but that are the right fit, plus a development partner supporting them from the initial idea to series production. See how RFID from Schreiner MediPharm builds trust—watch the video.

Get to know the benefits of the RFID solutions in the video:

A booming market, high demand, and growing risk of counterfeiting—GLP-1 applications, often colloquially referred to as “weight-loss injections”, make new demands on packaging and on the device. Schreiner MediPharm has developed a multifunctional label for pens and autoinjectors combining safety, ease of use, and design. A closer look at the details reveals how this functional label sustainably strengthens product, brand, and patient protection.

Secure Supply Chain
GLP-1 refers to a class of active ingredients (APIs) that, among other things, is used to treat Type 2 diabetes and obesity and is frequently administered via self-injection using pens or autoinjectors. These drugs are particularly attractive targets for product counterfeiters. That’s why the functional label from Schreiner MediPharm with new design elements integrates analog and digital security features for reliable product authentication. Overt features such as ShiftSecure with a positive-negative effect depending on the viewing angle, semi-covert features such as microtext and InfraredSecure, as well as covert, smartphone-readable printed codes, or integrated NFC functionalities enable multi-level authentication—from the pharmaceutical manufacturer to
the patient.

Detection of Tampering
A key feature of the label’s design is its irreversible first-opening indication. Since the label partially covers the pen cap, any attempt to open it becomes clearly visible—with the naked eye or also optionally by digital means via NFC plus a smartphone. Tampering attempts, unnoticed recapping, or illegal reuse of the label are clearly detectable. The label’s construction with reverse-side printing permanently protects all product information against abrasion and additionally prevents reutilization of the pen because in the case of an unauthorized removal of the label parts of the printing layer remain on the surface.

Ease of Use And Security of Supply
Enhanced convenience when using the device was another focus of the development. The label surface that has been enlarged due to the included use of the cap offers space for larger font and better readability as well as for customized design with high recognition value. The integration of an NFC chip provides additional options for interactive user support. Scalable production capacities at Schreiner MediPharm and smooth integration of the labels into high-speed labeling of pens and autoinjectors contribute to an agile and secure pharmaceutical supply chain.

The digital transformation is in full swing also in the pharmaceutical industry. Smart and interactive solutions for process optimization, digital tracing, authentication, and patient support are becoming increasingly important. But it takes more than a chip in a label for truly reliable performance of applications in the healthcare sector—it takes in-depth expertise and that’s exactly where Schreiner MediPharm displays its fortes.

Drawing on more than twenty years of experience in RFID technology specifically for pharmaceutical applications, Schreiner MediPharm is a leading supplier of smart label solutions for the pharmaceutical industry committed to the maxim: Pharma-RFID that outperforms—in other words, RFID that absolutely reliably performs under the special conditions of the pharmaceutical sector. “Many suppliers talk about smart applications—we make them a reality. Our claim is to achieve smooth RFID imple­mentation from the first test to final use,” says Sebastian Münscher, Senior Product Manager RFID/NFC Solutions at Schreiner MediPharm.

Tailored Technology for Complex Requirements

Whereas standard RFID-Labels are often stretched to the limits as early as in high-speed processing—for instance, due to chip breakage or antenna issues—Schreiner MediPharm has developed unique robust label designs that are specifically tailored to the requirements of the pharmaceutical industry. Whether for vials, syringes, pens, or secondary packaging, the solutions are designed to combine top quality, scalabil­ity, and process reliability. Thanks to extensive research and development capacities, Schreiner MediPharm offers a wide range of customized RFID solutions: from application-specific chip selection to specifically developed antenna geometries to extensive testing opportunities.

Technology Leader with Industry Knowledge

Schreiner MediPharm excels particularly in terms of combining technological know-how and in-depth understanding of pharmaceutical requirements. As a long-standing A-level supplier to leading global pharmaceutical corporations, the company draws on detailed knowledge of the regulatory hurdles, production processes, and security requirements of its customers. “An RFID project is no standard solution. We support our customers from the initial idea to series production—including intensive testing, integration into pharma packaging lines, and validation,” Münscher explains. State-of-the-art production systems and flexible scaling options enable us to produce even large volumes at consistently high levels of quality. At the same time, stringent quality management ensures that the RFID functionality is reliably retained up until it reaches the final user—be it in bulk reading processes in hospital settings or tapping with a smartphone. That not only optimizes logistics processes along the supply chain but also enables interactions with patients and healthcare staff—for instance, by means of NFC solutions for authentication or digital first-opening indications.

Smart Solution, True Added Value

The benefits for pharmaceutical manufacturers are obvious: Reliable RFID solutions from Schreiner MediPharm minimize failure rates, prevent production downtimes due to faulty labels, and avoid higher costs. At the same time, they increase patient safety and contribute to differentiation in the market. With every successfully implemented solution, Schreiner MediPharm underscores its role as a pioneer in the field of pharmaceutical RFID-Labels—not only technologically but also strategically. “Our customers expect technology that works—we deliver solutions that stand the test of real-world settings. That makes us the leading partner for pharma RFID worldwide,” concludes Münscher.

Innovative active ingredients such as mRNA, biologics, or cell and gene therapies not only bring progress—they also place the highest demands on their packaging. The situation becomes particularly critical when drugs are stored and transported at high sub-zero temperatures. In those cases, reliable tamper evidence truly poses a challenge. Schreiner MediPharm has developed a new solution exactly for that purpose: a transparent deep-freeze seal that reliably works even at temperatures down to -196 °C (-320 °F).

The special feature of the seal is that it will destroy itself when trying to remove it due to a dual security mechanism: the multi-tear effect. It means that not only the seal itself tears due to integrated security cuts that irreversibly destroy it (film tear) but that the cardboard surface of the folding box comes off as well (fiber tear). Any tampering attempt thus becomes immediately visible. In addition, the deep-freeze seal offers a guilloche as an integrated authentication feature. Further overt, semi-covert, and covert authenticity features can be added on request, resulting in a multi-level security solution tailored to the customer’s specific needs.

The transparent deep-freeze seal is suitable for storage temperatures down to -196 °C (-320 °F). Two variants of the seal are available: one for dispensing at 10 °C (50 °F) and a second one for application at temperatures down to as much as -50 °C (-58 °F). Both variants reliably adhere to the folding box across the entire supply chain—from production to final use.

With its many years of expertise in the development of security seals for the pharmaceutical industry, Schreiner MediPharm not only offers technical excellence but also comprehensive consulting support along the entire process chain. Every seal project is customized to suit the specific use case and threat scenario—naturally in compliance with the EU’s Falsified Medicines Directive and ISO 21976.

Safety for the user, cost efficiency for the manufacturer, and a clear gain for the environment: With Needle-Trap, Schreiner MediPharm offers a unique system for protection against needlestick injuries combining economy and sustainability in a single product—while setting standards.

Unlike conventional systems, the needle protection of Schreiner MediPharm’s Needle-Trap is not an additional device but an integral component of the label. Delivered on rolls, it can be applied to syringes on dispensing systems at high speed and without additional process steps. For pharmaceutical manufacturers, that means less logistical effort, less material, less costs.

But Needle-Trap impresses not only in terms of processing and process optimization. Regarding sustainability, the system shows its strengths as well: Compact design, no need for metallic springs, and clearly reduced plastics content have effects along the entire supply chain—from reduced space requirements during storage, transportation, and cooling to more eco-friendly disposal.

The newest version, Needle-Trap Secu, even takes these benefits a step further. It enables blister-free packaging thanks to an integrated first-opening indication—as another contribution to the reduction of packaging materials, CO₂ emissions, and costs.

Calculation examples for 10 million units of Needle-Trap in terms of total cost of own­ership and sustainability show: double production capacity per year, up to 50% less costs, more than 80% less CO₂ emissions, and reductions of up to 53 tons of plastics—all without compromising safety.

In other words, it’s a system that demonstrates that progress is created where smart solutions solve several challenges at the same time—to the satisfaction of customers and users, and benefit to the environment.

Here you can find more information about our needle protection system Needle-Trap.

United by an ambitious goal: The members of the Alliance to Zero are committed to sustainably reducing CO₂ emissions along the pharmaceutical supply chain—with a view toward compliance with the Paris Climate Agreement. Halfway into the year, the network got together for an onsite meeting at Schreiner MediPharm in Oberschleissheim—engaged in an intensive exchange with a vision.

The Alliance has existed since June 2021. In addition to the founding members—Datwyler, Harro Höfliger, Körber Pharma, SCHOTT Pharma, Sharp, Ypsomed, and Schreiner MediPharm—Resourcify, a specialist in recycling solutions, has now also joined the initiative. All members share a common goal: Only through close collab­oration can changes be achieved that will transform the entire sector toward net-zero emissions. A specific example of successful collaboration is a Secure Blister-Free Packaging Concept for prefilled syringes that considerably reduces CO₂ emissions, optimizes processes, and reduces costs at the same time.

The most recent meeting in Oberschleissheim offered the Alliance an opportunity to continue driving important topics. In addition to technical presentations—for instance, on the pending Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR)—specific actions were developed in strategic discussions and special working groups.

Company Tour as a Highlight

The company tour at Schreiner Group’s headquarters in Oberschleissheim was a highlight of the gathering. It provided the guests with deep insights into the high-tech production of innovative pharma labels and enabled them to obtain an on-site idea of Schreiner Group’s sustainability measures. A joint evening event rounded off the day and provided room for further informal exchange—all in the spirit of trusting col­laboration on which the Alliance to Zero is based.