Blogs

The need to provide vaccines for the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has presented the pharmaceutical industry with unprecedented challenges. Among them are accelerated timelines for development/approval and unanticipated volumes for manufacture/delivery. Ordinarily for a new drug product, there is ample time for selecting the primary package system and establishing component availability.

How does West respond to increased demand to produce supplies needed for use with treatments to combat the coronavirus? The answer is – with years of experience, careful planning, and a robust manufacturing program. We are committed to doing our part to speed the successful development and large-scale manufacture of high-quality components required to serve customer needs for the delivery of a safe, effective COVID-19 vaccine, which includes expanding labor and equipment resources.

Developing a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine presents numerous and unprecedented challenges; prominent among them are greatly accelerated timelines. Ordinarily for a new drug product, there is sufficient time for selection/evaluation of the vial/stopper packaging system – one that guarantees quality and safety from manufacture through delivery. This is not the case for a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine where the primary packaging system must be chosen quickly, creating a higher risk.

Our culture is based on supporting the health and well-being of our communities. Now more than ever, it’s important to reach out and help those in need. To support our communities around the world, West is donating to multiple organizations that are making important contributions to society and need support during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Marisa Leuzzi, Senior Specialist, Global Communications, from our Exton Headquarters, is one of the growing number of coronavirus survivors. Her experiences with her illness is not uncommon – but what she did after her recovery to keep her family whole is remarkable.

Our communities continue to face challenging circumstances related to COVID-19, and West is working hard to support our customers, our teams and our neighbors. Business as usual is changing, and we all struggle to understand what business as usual looks like now and what it means for each of us.