Evaluation of alternative packaging for solid oral dosage forms
Abstract: Aluminum blisters are a widely used packaging type in the pharmaceutical industry, including Elanco Animal Health Inc., a major player in the animal health business. Excellent barrier properties and convenience of usage to the consumers make it an ideal solution. Unfortunately, due to lack of innovation since its invention in the 1960s, there have been certain shortcomings in it use; like lack in consumer centricity, lack of environmental friendliness, difficulty of opening, etc. This project aims to overcome these shortcomings by assessing 22 different alternatives. A packaging scorecard was used to assess the alternatives against the following attributes: product protection, consumer acceptance, marketing, environmental impact, regulatory, investment and material costs, technical feasibility, and novelty. These aspects were assessed by expert interviews from experts at Elanco Animal Health and throughout the pharmaceutical industry. It includes experts from tooling companies, foil suppliers and contract manufacturers. A consumer study and a benchmark study were conducted to better define the intended area of innovation. The alternative solutions vary from minor improvements in the visual appearance of the blister to flexible, multi-dose systems. From the 22 assessed alternatives, 10 have been scored higher than or equal to the current aluminum blisters. Overall, a flexible, single-dose solution seemed to be the most promising alternative because it combines the functional aspects of blisters while mitigating its disadvantages, like ease of opening and environmental friendliness.
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