Enhanced Injection Experience with Pre-Filled Syringe Solutions

In January 2025, Aptar Pharma presented a Learning Lab talk at Pharmapack along with the Stevanato Group titled “A New Dimension for an Enhanced Injection Experience.” The presentation showcased how partnerships between pre-filled syringes (PFS) players and component manufacturers can benefit pharmaceutical companies and speed up drug development. 

In this Learning Lab, Crystal Salvans from Aptar Pharma and Enrico Barichello from the Stevanato Group highlighted the advantages of using new pre-filled syringes (PFS) formats, featuring 8mm needles and the corresponding Rigid Needle Shields (RNS). With increasing chronic disease prevalence and the growing popularity of biologics, the demand for at-home self-injection solutions rises and pharmaceutical companies are looking for solutions to reduce injection frequency to promote patient adherence. This can be achieved by increasing dose volume and concentration, though higher concentrations result in increased viscosity, which in turn could negatively affect patient experience due to increased injection time and forces required. Since the injection force is inversely correlated to the needle length, shorter 8mm needles offer an easy solution that was demonstrated to reduce injection force by ~25% compared to traditional 12.7mm needles. Additionally, proper siliconization of the syringe barrel and optimal plunger design ensures consistent injection forces, supporting autoinjector integration and patient experience. 

Besides the benefits of using short needles, Crystal and Enricho also covered an array of functional and chemical performances displayed by the injectable system that features Stevanato’s pre-filled Syringe and Aptar Pharma’s syringe plungers & Rigid needle shields: 

• Autoinjector integration: dimensional properties of the pre-filled-syringe and Rigid Needle Shield together with optimized Rigid Needle Shield pull-off force and patented design to ensure seamless integration in the autoinjector. 

• Protecting sensitive drugs: use of cross-linked silicone, low tungsten & particulate specifications combined with pure rubber formulations with PremiumCoat® ETFE coating for low extractable and leachable. 

• Processability: use of reinforced nests and tubs to promote processability of PFS. Demonstrated compatibility of PremiumCoat® syringe plunger with vent-tube and vacuum stoppering methods. 

Stevanato Group and Aptar Pharma emphasized collaboration in injectables packaging, highlighting the interplay of glass pre-filled syringes, rigid needle shields, and rubber plungers to protect drugs and ensure safe patient injections. This case study showcased the benefits of 8mm needles for delivering viscous biologics and how pure rubber formulations can help preserve drug integrity. With chronic diseases on the rise, selecting the right drug delivery system is crucial for patient usability and successful long-term treatments.