Körber Pharma deploying Dividella Solution packaging for COVID-19 vaccines at ‘warp speed’

Grabs, Switzerland:  Körber Pharma is fast-tracking delivery of four Dividella NeoTOP cartoner platforms for high speed parenteral packaging of COVID-19 vaccines as part of its response to the global coronavirus pandemic.

Over the next six months, Körber Pharma Business Area will supply and commission the four new Dividella NeoTOP Topload cartoners for members of the Operation Warp Speed public-private partnership initiated by the U.S. Federal Government to facilitate and accelerate the development, production and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and therapies.

Monomaterial solution

The Dividella NeoTOP packaging machines offer production volumes of 45 to 160 cartons or 1600 vials per minute, with highly sensitive vaccines securely packaged in monomaterial packing   with no glass-to-glass contact. The box, with its integrated divider, provides a unique combination of protection and space saving. The modular design of the machines and a wide range of flexible feeding systems enable customers to package other products on the same line following the high-speed production of COVID-19 vaccines.

In addition to the production and supply of new machines, Körber Pharma Business Area is also producing tool sets that allow existing topload systems to be converted to COVID-19 vaccine packaging lines and in discussion with other pharmaceutical companies on packaging solutions for COVID-19 vaccines and therapies.

Pharma companies will benefit from very short delivery times of the machines, rapid commissioning and Dividella Solutions’ cGMP-compliant production protocols. The cartons, which are accessible from above, are easy to handle and open and the products can be removed easily – even by healthcare workers wearing full protective equipment. The compact cartons are lightweight but provide protection from glass breakage and save costs within cold-chain transport systems and on-site storage. Monomaterial packaging is more sustainable and avoids unnecessary use of plastic.

High priority

“Our customers’ COVID-19 projects are a top priority for us. We recognise that globally, companies and institutions are under great pressure to develop and deliver vaccines and advanced biological therapies to prevent and treat the coronavirus,” commented Peter Grassl, Executive Vice President at Körber Pharma Sales & Marketing.

“Assuming that their vaccine candidates will be approved by the respective authorities, pharma companies have already signed contracts for the short-term delivery of many million doses of the vaccine. These companies and their contract manufacturers are now expanding their production capacities to ensure safe, reliable and fast mass production of their COVID-19 vaccines – within a tight timeframe. Some of the production capacity should be available from early 2021,” Mr. Grassl explained.

“To achieve these goals, pharmaceutical companies need partners who can deliver packaging systems in an unprecedentedly short time. These systems must now be able to package large quantities of vials in multi-packs. They must also be flexible enough to handle other product formats – such as syringes – at a later date. Körber is the right partner for this challenge,” said Mr. Grassl.

High OEL, low TCO

“Together, we’ve developed solutions meeting all of the stringent regulatory requirements around the world. However, the effective application over 40 years of Pharma industry top load solutions experience, know-how in delivering customized projects, harnessing joint customer investments and technology transfer were all decisive factors for the success of the implementation,” he added.

“Thanks to the reliability of our systems and their high production speeds, high Overall Equipment Effectiveness and uptime can be achieved; this is essential for the production of a COVID-19 vaccine in sufficient quantities. Furthermore, after the pandemic, these machines can easily be configured to package other products and pack configurations. All this makes them a valuable long-term investment, significantly reducing total cost of ownership (TCO),” he noted.

About Dividella Solutions at Körber Pharma Packaging

Dividella Monomaterial Packaging describe a highly distinctive modular and integrated approach to secondary packaging for the pharmaceutical industry based on specific expertise in integrated and monomaterial solutions and of the packaging requirements for parenteral products. Patented Dividella NeoTOP top-loading and NeoTRAY feeding systems form the basis for solutions that have continually evolved to provide the most up-to-date, patient-friendly and environmentally responsible solutions for parenteral packaging.

Dividella provides complete secondary packaging solutions for medicinal products that can be difficult to stack, such as needles, injector pens, vials and syringes. Its top-loading solution enables product handling with extreme care and safety. The companies patented feeding systems guarantee that all products are handled with appropriate care while maintaining high output.

Dividella AG has a proven record of accomplishment in highly innovative and effective solutions for secure and flexible handling and packaging of pharmaceutical products spanning more than four decades. Based in Grabs in the Canton of St. Gallen in eastern Switzerland, the company serves 20 of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies among its clients, including the top ten.

About Körber’s Business Area Pharma

Körber Pharma delivers added value along the entire pharmaceutical value chain by offering a unique portfolio of integrated solutions. Based on in-depth experience spanning consulting, inspection, transport systems, packaging machines and materials, track and trace and software, Körber Pharma understands the challenges in pharmaceutical processes and regulation that its customers face day to day, from the beginning to the end of their production. For them, it delivers the differences needed to unlock the potential of global pharmaceutical and biotech manufacturing. More at: www.koerber-pharma.com

About Körber Group

Körber Group is an international technology group with about 10,000 employees, more than 100 locations worldwide and a common goal: to turn entrepreneurial thinking into customer success and shape technological change. In its five Business Areas Digital, Pharma, Supply Chain, Tissue and Tobacco, Körber offers products, solutions and services that inspire and respond quickly to customer needs, with seamless implementation of ideas and innovations that create added value for customers.

Körber is increasingly building on ecosystems that solve the challenges of today and tomorrow. Körber AG is the holding company of the Körber Group. Find out more at: www.koerber.com

Resources

Click on Operation Warp Speed to find out more about US Federal Government OWS CV-19 vaccine development program.
Click on Dividella savings on total TCO and TCP  for other information.
Click on Dividella monomaterial advantages  for further information.