Schott AG & Credence MedSystems Form Strategic Collaboration Agreement

Credence MedSystems and SCHOTT AG have recently formed a collaboration for the application of Credence Companion technology with SCHOTT’s prefillable syriQ glass and SCHOTT TOPPAC polymer syringe systems. The two companies will work together to integrate the technologies and provide the pharmaceutical industry with an innovative and differentiated offering for the delivery of injectable medications via prefilled syringes.

Pharmaceutical manufacturers are driven to provide their end users with drug delivery systems encompassing enhanced usability and safety features that facilitate administration of their medications, protect from accidental needlesticks, and adhere to international needlestick regulations. They look for these systems to be compatible with the variety of available syringe barrel options that meet varied needs across multiple drug product and use environment requirements.

Credence MedSystems, an innovator in injectable drug delivery technology, has developed the Companion® Safety Syringe System. The Companion allows pharmaceutical manufacturers to provide critical usability and safety features to their end-users, while integrating with existing syringe barrels and primary packaging components. At the completion of the injection, the user receives an end-of-dose cue in the form of a ‘click,’ indicating that the full dose has been delivered, as the needle automatically retracts into the syringe barrel thereby protecting the user and preventing reuse. In addition to the safety and usability benefits for the end-user, the robust design enables reliable functionality and avoids unintentional activation prior to the end of the injection.

To facilitate implementation for pharmaceutical manufacturers and offer this technology for a variety of applications and therapeutic fields, a fully integrated solution that is compatible with various syringe barrels is a prerequisite. The integrated approach to safety, where no additional devices need to be assembled after syringe filling, brings operational efficiencies to drug manufacturers. This is where the value of the partnership between Credence and SCHOTT is beneficial.

By designing solutions in the field of primary pharmaceutical packaging, SCHOTT ensures that medicines are safe and easy to use for people around the world. For the reason of human health and the various requirements that exist for 7 billion individuals, SCHOTT has established a full proven and established portfolio of syriQ glass syringes and SCHOTT TOPPAC polymer pre-fillable syringes, as well as various related packaging components.

Bringing together the established Companion technology and the existing syringes from SCHOTT, this partnership targets a pre-validated and pre-assembled portfolio of passive integrated needle systems with various available syringe sizes made of both glass and high quality Cyclic Olefin Copolymer materials. With this, pharmaceutical companies will be given a full flexibility in choosing the right barrel that fits perfectly the requirements of each application, with the safety system integrated.

“Integrating our established Companion technology with a broad variety of existing syringe barrels from SCHOTT is an important milestone in offering Innovation Without Change to the pharmaceutical industry,” states John Merhige, Credence’s Chief Commercial Officer. “This allows pharma the confidence to work with already validated systems but the freedom to choose the perfect fit from a wide portfolio.”

Fabian Stöcker, VP Global Strategy & Innovation at SCHOTT Pharmaceutical Systems adds: “Having over 20 years of experience in the field of syringes, we are happy that, with this partnership and product offering, we can even go a step further to create a new, synergistic and trusted offering for glass and polymer syringe systems that is responsive to the growing needs of the industry. To our knowledge, we will provide the first integrated needle safety system on the market with a polymer pre-fillable syringe by integrating the Credence Companion technology into our SCHOTT TOPPAC syringes.”

SCHOTT and Credence are currently in the process of defining implementation timelines and product offerings in advance of communication with their pharmaceutical customers.

SCHOTT is a leading international technology group in the areas of specialty glass, glass-ceramics and related high-tech materials as well as in the field of parenteral packaging for the pharmaceutical industry. With over 130 years of experience, the company is an innovative partner to many industries, including the home appliance, pharma, electronics, optics, life sciences, automotive and aviation industries. SCHOTT has a global presence with production sites and sales offices in 34 countries. In the 2018/2019 fiscal year, the group generated sales of around $2.54 billion with over 16,200 employees.

Credence MedSystems is an innovator of drug delivery systems that solve unmet market needs for the pharmaceutical industry. Credence’s philosophy of Innovation Without Change allows pharma manufacturers to impress and protect their end users while preserving their existing processes, sourcing strategies and preferred primary package components. The Companion^® family of syringe systems includes proprietary needle retraction technology, syringe reuse prevention and other critical safety and usability features. The Dual Chamber Reconstitution platform offers single-step mixing and injection for drugs that require reconstitution at the time of delivery. The Credence Connect™ brings digital connectivity to any prefilled syringe. Metered dose systems and other novel devices address the needs of specific therapeutic markets such as ocular therapies and cosmetic applications. For more information, visit www.CredenceMed.com.