Several important changes have been made recently in the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP): Chapter <381> was amended and new chapters <382>, <1382>, and <1381> were created. West has been aware of these changes and is prepared to address them from both a knowledge and a technology perspective.

A good elastomer stopper for a vial container system needs to have the right properties. These properties are largely determined by the elastomer formulation, which comprises the base elastomer, fillers, plasticizers, and curing agents. The interplay among these components is crucial, as they determine performance. For example, hardness is affected by filler type and level, as well as by curing agent and level. West understands these issues, and therefore is able to develop formulations to offer maximum performance. An example is the formulation 4040/40, which was designed according to quality-by-design (QbD) principles.

The American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) held its annual meeting and exposition in Denver, CO from November 13-16. This meeting continues to be a major event in the calendar of pharmaceutical scientists in academia, the industry, government and research institutions who come to participate in training events and focus group meetings, hear subject matter expert presentations, and network with customers and suppliers at the 3-day exposition.

What does it mean to have package integrity for your container closure system? It means an absence of breaches that can lead to product loss or ingress. Container closure integrity testing should not be just a “one and done” study. It should be understood throughout the life cycle of the product.

Diane Paskiet will speak at the U.S. Pharmcopeial Convention’s “Suitability and Compatibility for Packaging and Delivery Systems: Extractables and Leachables” Conference, which will be held at USP Headquarters in Rockville, Maryland, on December 9-10, 2013.

On December 1, 2013, revisions to USP Ch. <1> Injections, Labeling on Ferrules and Cap Overseals will go into effect for all drug products sold in the United States, including veterinary products. Now is the time to ensure that your product packaging is compliant.