West Adds Manufacturing Capacity to Meet Customer Demand for the Daikyo Crystal Zenith(R) Syringe System
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Apr 13, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- With biopharmaceutical companies seeking safe packaging and delivery solutions for high-value drug products, West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (NYSE: WST) is preparing to increase its capacity for manufacturing the Daikyo Crystal Zenith 1mL syringe system. Ideally suited for biopharmaceutical drug packaging and delivery, the Crystal Zenith syringe system overcomes problems inherent in glass-based systems, such as breakage and glass delamination.
By creating additional clean room manufacturing environments within its Scottsdale, Ariz., facility, West will have room for production cells capable of producing up to 20 million units annually. The facility will also handle the warehousing and release of other ready-to-use Crystal Zenith systems such as vials and bulk drug containers.
"We found a high level of interest in the Crystal Zenith insert needle syringe system during its formal launch at a customer open house in Scottsdale last October," said Donald E. Morel, Jr., Ph.D., Chairman and CEO. "The renovation project will give us the space for additional sophisticated injection molding technologies required for manufacturing Crystal Zenith syringes. These will be needed to support numerous customer stability trials and anticipated scale-up as customers realize the significant benefits of this system."
West is converting 32,000 square feet of existing space to include ISO 7 (Class 10,000) clean rooms for automated manufacturing, microbiological and functional testing laboratories, and additional climate controlled and monitored warehouse space. Completion is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2011.
"In the past few months, several drug products have been recalled because of glass delamination, which creates glass flakes in drug solutions stored over time," said Dr. Morel. "Recalls are expensive, cause serious interruptions to the drug supply chain and are potentially harmful to patients. Crystal Zenith containment solutions can overcome these and other problems inherent with glass."
Daikyo Crystal Zenith, a cyclic olefin polymer developed by West's Japanese partner Daikyo Seiko, Ltd., provides a proven solution to glass syringe problems.
About West
West's innovative system, device and component solutions help improve the safety and administration of injectable drugs. West's proprietary materials science, formulation research and manufacturing technologies advance the quality, therapeutic value, development speed and rapid market availability of pharmaceuticals, biologics and vaccines. West supports its customers from facilities in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. For more information, visit www.westpharma.com. Follow West on Twitter: www.twitter.com/WestPharma.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, but are not limited to statements about expected completion date and production capability for the expanded Scottsdale facility.
We caution investors to review the risks set forth under the caption "Risk Factors" in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and as revised or supplemented by our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, could cause our actual results to differ materially from those estimated or predicted in the forward-looking statements. You should evaluate any statement in light of these important factors. Except as required by law or regulation, we undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Daikyo Crystal Zenith(R) is a registered trademark of Daikyo Seiko, Ltd.
Daikyo Crystal Zenith is licensed from Daikyo Seiko, Ltd.
West and the diamond logo are trademarks of West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc., in the United States and other jurisdictions.
Copyright 2011 West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.
SOURCE: West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.
Schwartz Communications
Kristin Villiotte, 781-684-0770