BD has turned to Mitsubishi Gas Chemical (MGC) to look into ways to improve the delivery of biologics, signing a letter of intent that positions it to assess its partner’s alternative to glass for prefilled syringes.
New Jersey-based BD already manufactures glass and plastic syringes but sees room for a third option, namely Oxycapt. MGC has developed the multilayer material to integrate the best features of glass and plastic while removing their shortcomings. Specifically, MGC is pitching Oxycapt as a way to eliminate the issues glass has with breakability and pH stability along with the oxygen and UV barrier failings of plastic.
BD sees promise in the material. Having signed the letter of intent, BD will work with MGC to evaluate the use of Oxycapt in the next generation of prefilled syringes for advanced biologic medicines. MGC sees the deal furthering its attempt to carve out a piece of the market.
“Since launching Oxycapt, more and more pharmaceutical companies have been interested in applying it to their biologics or regenerative medicines such as gene/cell therapies,” Ko Kedo, an executive R&D officer at MGC, said in a statement. “As we have looked for a strategic partner to enhance [the] presence of Oxycapt in the pharmaceutical industry, the partnership with BD will be an ideal solution for MGC. We believe this agreement will make it possible for customers to choose the best syringes for their drugs.”
BD highlighted the potential for Oxycapt to address challenges around stability and other factors that developers of medicines based on mRNA, viral vectors and innovative antibodies can face when working with glass.
MGC claims its material outperforms glass in terms of resistance to breakage, inorganic extractables, protein absorption, pH stability, UV barrier, weight and disposability. In its Oxycapt syringe, MGC uses a PTFE stopper coated with slight silicone oil and a polypropylene plunger rod.