West Pharmaceutical Services is hooking up with Corning. As part of an exclusive long-term deal, West is making a multimillion-dollar capital and R&D investment in its new partner to advance drug delivery.
The partnership brings together technologies developed by West and Corning. West is bringing its line of NovaPure components, which includes vial stoppers and syringe plungers designed to help companies improve fill-finish processing, to the collaboration. The devices feature West’s FluroTec barrier film.
Corning is providing the vials. The company introduced its Valor vials in 2017 before going on to add its Velocity products to the range late last year. Corning is pitching Velocity vials, which feature a protective coating, as a way to improve filling line efficiency, lower production costs and reduce breakages. Velocity vials are now in use on some fill-finish lines.
West is making a multimillion-dollar investment to expand Corning's Valor Glass technology. The outlay, which features investments in capital and R&D, is intended to enable advanced injectable drug packaging and delivery systems.
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"This partnership and investment enable the development and industry-leading solutions that enhance patient safety, increase quality and reliability in highly regulated markets, and ensure greater capacity for life-saving drugs,” Corning CEO Wendell Weeks said in a statement.
The partnership follows a period of fast growth at Corning’s life sciences unit. Last year, the unit grew sales by 24% as it benefited from demand for vials from manufacturers of vaccines against COVID-19.