West's Daikyo Crystal Zenith® Cyclic Olefin Polymer Selected by Amgen


West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (NYSE: WST), a global leader in innovative solutions for injectable drug administration, recently announced that global biotechnology leader Amgen Inc. has utilized West’s Daikyo Crystal Zenith® (CZ) vials, in conjunction with West FluroTec® stoppers, to contain its FDA-approved therapy IMLYGIC™ (talimogene laherparepvec). Manufactured from a cyclic olefin polymer, CZ vials offer a break-resistant, high-performance alternative to glass for complex drugs.

West’s Daikyo Crystal Zenith® vials


“West recognizes the growing demand for high quality and technologically advanced containment systems for today’s sophisticated biologic drugs, particularly when there may be challenges of interaction or adsorption related to traditional glass vials,” said John Paproski, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, West. “Daikyo Crystal Zenith technology represents an important way to address the needs of our customers in this growing biotechnology market.”

“We appreciate the relationship we have with West and how they have worked with us to provide an appropriate container closure solution to address the ultra-cold storage conditions for IMLYGIC™,” said Bill Rich, Vice President, Device Technologies at Amgen.

The CZ container closure system also includes a West FluroTec stopper, which is a proven solution to provide a barrier against extractables without compromising seal integrity – important benefits for maintaining the full strength of biologic therapies. Additionally, the CZ vial can stand up to cold storage environments, and it reduces the risk of breakage that exists with glass.

“West applauds Amgen’s work to discover and develop medicines to treat serious illnesses, and remains steadfast in our commitment to stand by their side and provide high-quality container systems and components so that their products can be delivered to the patients who need them,” Mr. Paproski concluded.

About Daikyo Crystal Zenith®

Daikyo Crystal Zenith® cyclic olefin polymer containment and delivery system was designed as a high-performance alternative to glass. It is an integrated lifecycle solution that is designed to maintain drug safety, purity and efficacy from development through to commercialization — in a flexible, customizable container that is compatible with existing filling technologies.

About West

West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of packaging components and delivery systems for injectable drugs and healthcare products. Working by the side of its customers from concept to patient, West creates products that promote the efficiency, reliability and safety of the world’s pharmaceutical drug supply. West is headquartered in Exton, Pennsylvania, and supports its customers from locations in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. West’s 2014 sales of $1.42 billion reflect the daily use of approximately 110 million of its components and devices, which are designed to improve the delivery of healthcare to patients around the world.

About Daikyo
Daikyo Seiko, Ltd. is a leading manufacturer of high-quality injectable packaging components that include: Flurotec® film laminated elastomeric closures, Crystal Zenith® cyclic olefin polymer containment and delivery systems, PLASCAP® seals, and various medical device components. Targeting a “zero defect” quality, Daikyo products are manufactured in clean rooms and released under 100% vision inspection. Daikyo offers components as sterile and ready-to-sterilize; and also offers customization. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan — with manufacturing plants are in Sano, Tochigi Prefecture — Daikyo works closely with pharmaceutical customers to innovate and continuously improve manufacturing processes. Since the late 1970s, Daikyo and West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. have partnered to provide the pharmaceutical industry with a comprehensive portfolio of products for injectable drugs and healthcare products.

West and the diamond logo are registered trademarks of West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc., in the United States and other jurisdictions.

Daikyo Crystal Zenith® is a registered trademark of Daikyo Seiko, Ltd. Crystal Zenith technology is licensed from Daikyo Seiko, Ltd.

FluroTec® is a registered trademark of West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc., in the United States and other jurisdictions.

Media Contact

Emily Denney

Global Communications, West

+1-610-594-3035

Emily.Denney@westpharma.com