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.

The innovative Needle-Trap Secu needle protection label from our Schreiner MediPharm business unit has been recognized with the prestigious World Label Award 2024 in the Innovation category. This special recognition not only validates the innovative prowess of our products but also the commitment of Schreiner Group as a whole to developing pioneering solutions for our most important markets such as the healthcare industry.

The World Label Award, which has been presented since 1996, is one of the most important international competitions of the label industry. It is organized by L9, a global alliance of the leading label associations. A high-caliber judging panel of industry experts evaluated the entries submitted in a total of 24 categories. The awards were presented in Chicago at the end of 2024, one day before Labelexpo America opened its gates.

Innovative Product Design with Sustainable Added Value

The award-winning Needle-Trap Secu product sets new standards in terms of combining safety, efficiency, and sustainability. The world’s only needle protection system with a needle trap directly integrated in the label offers healthcare staff a safe and easy way to handle prefilled syringes. At the same time, the innovative construction, thanks to its compact design, reduced plastic content, and integrated seal function, saves space and resources. The special sealing tab of Needle-Trap Secu provides an irreversible first-opening indication ensuring the integrity of the syringe up until it is used, which eliminates the need for additional blister packaging. These features not only make the product safer but also highly sustainable and cost-efficient.

Exceptional Innovative Prowess

Schreiner Group’s CEO Roland Schreiner is delighted about this outstanding recognition: “Winning the World Label Award in the Innovation category proves the exceptional innovative prowess of our company and untiring dedication of our employees. With Needle-Trap Secu, we’ve again demonstrated how high tech and sustainability can be perfectly combined with each other. Successes like these strengthen our resolve to continue developing pioneering solutions with passion and precision.”

Schreiner MediPharm’s innovative Needle-Trap needle protection system has been successfully used for many years, impressing with its ease of use and safety. To assist healthcare staff and patients even more effectively in correctly handling the system, Schreiner MediPharm is now presenting a new user video. Step by step, it demonstrates how to properly use Needle-Trap—from activating the label-integrated needle trap to safely disposing of it in a sharps container.

Featuring a combination of 2D and 3D graphics, the video in an easily understandable form explains how the needle protection system works. Users can clearly see the straight-forward and controlled functioning of Needle-Trap. Especially helpful is the clearly perceptible clicking sound when the needle locks into the needle trap. As a result, the system combines safety of use with reassuring user experience.

For pharmaceutical manufacturers, Needle- Trap offers a range of benefits: It is particularly cost-efficient, sustainable, and can be easily integrated into existing production processes. End users benefit from a user-friendly solution delivering reliable protection against needlestick injuries while the injection technique they are used to remains unchanged. Thus, safety is naturally incorporated into daily healthcare settings.

The new video is now available on YouTube, offering convincing insights into the use of Needle-Trap. It provides valuable assistance to anyone wishing to use this innovative needle protection system safely and efficiently. Discover how straight-forward modern safety design can be—a click is worth your while.

Learn about the benefits of Needle-Trap in a video:

Syringes must be sterile prior to administration of a drug. To ensure that, prefilled syringes in hospital settings are typically stored and transported individually in blister packs. However, that takes up a lot of space and produces large amounts of waste. In Canada, Sterinova is now pursuing a different approach—using Needle-Trap Secu with integrated first-opening indication from Schreiner MediPharm: That’s equally safe but reduces space, waste, and costs.

Sterinova, a Canadian subsidiary of medical technology company B. Braun, specializes in ready-to-use injectable drugs. Since 2016 the company based in St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, has been successfully using Needle-Trap for its prefilled heparin syringes as an efficient and compact solution for protection against needlestick injuries in the Canadian market. Needle-Trap from Schreiner MediPharm is the only needle protection system worldwide featuring a label-integrated needle trap. That saves resources and requires less space than conventional needle protection systems while its use is easy and safe for healthcare staff.

For even greater space savings and waste reduction, Sterinova is now using a new Needle-Trap variant with first-opening indication: Needle-Trap Secu features an integrated seal tab securing the integrity of the prefilled syringe up until the drug is administered. The seal is automatically activated when the syringe cap is being pulled off and irreversibly indicates its first opening. That eliminates the need for an additional blister pack. In addition, special security elements prevent undetected reuse of the seal.

Sterinova benefits from a multi-functional solution combining product protection and protection of healthcare staff against needlestick injuries. Hospitals benefit from the fact that, thanks to the Needle-Trap label-integrated sealing feature, the syringes don’t require blister packs and the space savings reduce costs and waste. In Sterinova’s case, for instance, waste reductions of 46 percent compared to the use of conventional blister packs are possible. Plus, the environment benefits particularly as well: Because the compact Needle-Trap solution requires far less space CO₂ emissions clearly decrease. In addition, the label-integrated needle trap has a regranulated material content of up to 50 percent.

For Schreiner MediPharm, 2022 was a highly successful trade show year. Following the break forced by the covid pandemic, various international on-site events took place again. They were highlights for the entire healthcare sector because, finally, everyone was able to engage in personal exchanges again and establish new contacts. The events were focused on hot topics such as connectivity and sustainability. The product highlights that Schreiner MediPharm showcased worldwide at various trade shows and congresses address these topics as well.

“Digitalization and sustainability are key topics of our time, and the healthcare industry is no exception in that regard,” says Stefan Wiedemann, Senior Director Strategic Marketing & Business Development at Schreiner MediPharm. “How can we achieve even more effective, safer, and easier ways to identify and track pharmaceuticals on unit level? How can we enhance medication adherence monitoring for patients and physicians? How can we manufacture products in more resource-saving and environmentally friendlier ways? At Schreiner MediPharm, we have found a variety of solutions for these and many other questions. Solutions that we were able to present at various events in 2022.”

In May, Pharmapack in Paris kicked off the 2022 trade show year for Schreiner MediPharm. More than 300 exhibitors participated in the leading European industry meeting for pharmaceutical packaging and drug delivery. In addition to many other solutions, Schreiner MediPharm showcased the new Smart Blister Wallet with 64 cavities for digital adherence monitoring. The further developed packaging solution with integrated electronics features twice as many cavities as the previous product, and makes it possible to track and enhance patient compliance in clinical trials.

In addition to Pharmapack in Paris, events at which Schreiner MediPharm presented its product solutions included two other leading trade shows, Pack Expo in Chicago and CPHI Worldwide in Frankfurt. The award-winning Robust RFID-Label attracted major interest across the board. In June 2022, the European association for the self-adhesive label industry recognized its unique design with two prestigious FINAT awards. What makes the Robust RFID-Label so special is its innovative construction. A special protective structure permanently protects the RFID-Label-integrated chip and thus guarantees its functionality from production to final use.

The second major trade show highlight in 2022 was sustainability. Whether the Pharma-Tac Label with an integrated hanger for infusion bottles or the Autoinjector-Label for injection systems: Schreiner MediPharm’s new sustainable functional label concepts met with great international response. Another particularly compelling product was the Needle-Trap needle protection system. Due to its special design as the only label with an integrated needle trap worldwide, it is particularly sustainable compared to conventional needle safety systems. Moreover, up to 50 percent of re-granulated material can be incorporated into the plastic trap.

More than 1.5 billion units produced and recognized with ten international awards: That has been the success story of the Needle-Trap needle protection system from Schreiner MediPharm since its market launch in 2009. Now the label with an integrated needle trap for protection against needlestick injuries has been complemented by a new feature: A security seal reliably indicates if the syringe has previously been opened. Needle-Trap Secu is a clever combination of needle and product protection that provides users with a double dose of safety and protects the integrity of the prefilled syringe that is important for the pharmaceutical manufacturer.

A secure supply chain and the integrity of medicine packaging are essential for pharmaceutical manufacturers. Regulations such as the EU Falsified Medicines Directive support that need but only address secondary packaging. Primary containers, however, require more specialized solutions for tamper evidence and first-opening indication. Due to its integrated plastic trap, Needle-Trap poses special challenges concerning first-opening indication. Smooth processing of the label on dispensing systems in pharmaceutical manufacturing environments and ease of use in healthcare settings must be considered.

Easy Process Integration–Safe Use

Needle-Trap Secu features a closure seal integrated into the syringe protection label with a tab ending on the syringe cap. Prior to the injection the needle trap is folded sideways as usual. While the cap is being pulled off a perforation triggers the activation of the first-opening seal. Security cuts additionally prevent undetected removal of the seal. The closure seal can also be complemented by overt authentication features, such as a guilloche, or covert security features for authenticity verification. Pharmaceutical manufacturers are provided with a multifunctional and cost-efficient solution that can be integrated easily into existing production processes and enhances product and patient safety. The integrated seal secures the integrity of the prefilled syringes on unit level until the drug is administered. Thus, it eliminates the need for a blister pack, reducing space and waste. Healthcare staff benefit from the efficient and reliable needle protection as well as from convenient first-opening indication that is irreversible and detectable at first glance.

Many modern companies are committed to “Acting today for the generations of tomorrow.” This commitment implies the implementation of environmental, economic, and social goals for greater sustainability. That poses a major challenge also to pharmaceutical companies because they have to look at their entire supply chain to enhance their products and processes in pursuit of these goals. A product solution of proven sustainability is Schreiner MediPharm’s Needle-Trap needle protection label. The pharma-label specialist has performed some exemplary calculations comparing Needle-Trap with conventional needle safety systems. The results underscore the reduced environmental footprint of the label with an integrated needle trap that is unrivaled worldwide.

The calculations are based on 10 million units of one sort for a 1 ml long syringe and best-case scenarios, comparing the Needle-Trap label with typical needle safety systems excluding syringes. The sustainability comparison provides impressive statistics:

Its unique design makes Needle-Trap a more environmentally friendly solution requiring less plastic material than conventional needle protection systems. Due to its compact design, there is no need for adjusting its secondary packaging, which saves space during transport, storage, and disposal. In addition, the needle protection label is delivered on rolls, eliminating the need for an additional blister pack. The grid material waste from label production is recycled and up to 50 percent of regranulated material can be incorporated into the plastic trap.

Consequently, Needle-Trap is a particularly sustainable solution compared with conventional needle protection systems. It combines cost efficiency with environmental protection and therefore merits the “Integrated Sustainability” logo.

To enhance safety of injection for both healthcare professionals and patients, Schreiner MediPharm developed its Needle-Trap needle protection system more than ten years ago. Since then, Needle-Trap has become successfully established in the marketplace. Extensive tests determine the compatibility of the system with specific syringes. Nipro PharmaPackaging has undergone these tests in order to extend its portfolio of safety systems for glass syringes and successfully passed them: Needle-Trap is fully compatible with Nipro’s D2F™pre-fillable glass syringes for vaccines.

The vaccine syringes are designed specifically for simple and safe vaccinations. The pre-fillable glass syringes are available in different sizes and a wide variety of needle configurations and accessories. Needle-Trap is a label with an integrated safety mechanism as protection against needlestick injuries after an injection has been performed. The needle protection system is activated by placing the needle trap on a firm surface using one hand and pushing the syringe needle into the trap. A perceptible click confirms that the needle has locked into the trap and thus been secured.

The compatibility tests of Needle-Trap and Nipros D2F™ pre-fillable glass syringes were conducted at the research and development laboratories at Schreiner Group’s headquarters in Oberschleissheim and investigated the functionality of Needle-Trap on syringes with varying cylinder sizes (0.5 ml and 1 ml in length) and hypodermic needle sizes (27G NW, 27G TW and 29G TW).

The outcome convinced Nipro: All tests with Needle-Trap labels applied to the various syringe types produced positive results and consistently demonstrated a reliable activation of the protective mechanism. In each test, the syringe needle was safely and clearly perceptibly secured in the integrated needle trap.

Schreiner Group has won numerous national and international awards for Schreiner MediPharm’s Needle-Trap needle protection system. In the fall of 2020, the product achieved its first leap onto the winners’ podium also in the Middle Kingdom: In the competition of the Chinese packaging and printing industry association, it won a Gold Award in the “Labels” category.

The China Packaging Federation (CPF) and the Pharmaceutical Packaging Printing Committee of the China National Pharmaceutical Packaging Association (CNPPA) has been organizing the competition since 2014. The jury evaluates entries in various categories such as food and luxury food packaging, soft packaging and labels in terms of printing technology and printing quality as well as outstanding design and technical innovation. Needle-Trap won a first-place award in the “Labels” category.

The prize was presented in September during the “Suzhou Dialogue” in Suzhou (Jiangsu province, west of Shanghai), an annual event held by the CNPPA. Jamie Long, General Manager of Schreiner Group at the company’s Chinese site in Fengpu near Shanghai, accepted the award on behalf of Schreiner Group. “’Made in Germany’ is highly valued in our country because German products are regarded as delivering reliable and safe performance. I’m very proud that Needle-Trap, a product that was developed at our German headquarters more than ten years ago, has won in a Chinese competition.”

“Made in Germany” is a label that stands for quality worldwide. In China, German products are associated with safety, reliability and functionality, among other things. Chinese customers, however, can only be convinced to buy if their expectations are quickly met and their needs precisely satisfied. Schreiner MediPharm’s Needle-Trap, which is already successfully used in many international markets, has now managed the leap into the Middle Kingdom: Kingfriend China equips its prefilled enoxaparin-sodium syringes with the world’s only label-based needle protection system.

Enoxaparin is an anticoagulant substance from the group of heparins used to prevent thrombosis. Kingfriend offers this medication as an enoxaparin-sodium injection solution in prefilled syringes. For the European market launch of the prefilled syringes, the company was looking for a special needle protection solution that was to be cost-efficient and meet the requirements of EU Directive 2010/32/EU and DIN EN ISO 23908 for protection against sharps. They found the solution in Needle-Trap. The needle protection label with an integrated trap marks the syringe and protects healthcare staff against needlestick injuries. Kingfriend was especially convinced of the Needle-Trap design. The needle trap is directly connected to the label and features a particularly compact construction. Consequently, the secondary packaging for the Enoxaparin sodium syringes with Needle-Trap remains the same as for standard syringes and adapts consistently in the production process. This is innovative and extremely economical, because it also saves warehousing and logistics costs.

The prefilled enoxaparin-sodium syringe was launched in Germany in the fall of 2020. The product is marketed via the partner company Venipharm.

More information about Needle-Trap at www.needle-trap.com