Gerresheimer expands to meet demand for pharmaceutical, small-batch products

Gerresheimer AG, a German manufacturer of primary packaging for medical and pharmaceutical industries, is expanding to meet increasing pharmaceutical and small-batch demand.

Gerresheimer expanded its small-batch plastics production to meet demand for projects with a smaller number of units or that are being commercialized.

The company has seen a "growing number of development projects for pharmaceutical and medical technology products," it said in a news release. "Prior to batch production, these products are subjected to a protracted development and approval process, for which small numbers of units are often required as samples."

Gerresheimer converted existing production space in Wackersdorf, Germany, into a 5,380-square-foot clean room and added a new, 15,600-square-foot building with clean room and office space.

It invested a "double-digit sum in the millions" in the new small-batch-dedicated space, which produces patch pumps for administering medication, drug containers for injection without needles, point-of-care tests, infusion sets for X-ray contrast agents, syringes, and other products and components.

The small-batch production "ensures the required product quality, as well as complete batch documentation at the level of subsequent large-batch production," the company said. The small batches can then be transferred directly to large-scale production.

Gerresheimer is also expanding its clean room space in Pfreimd, Germany, which manufactures products like lab disposables, pen systems, infusion sets, lancing devices, pumps, auto injectors, inhalers and catheters, with a new building.

The building will be used for additional assembly lines for a "major order" from a pharmaceuticals customer, a news release said. There will be a total of 29 automated assembly lines at the location, it said.

Construction on the building started in October 2020. The company expects it to be complete in August 2022.

"The new connecting building offers our customers clear advantages for the production of sophisticated pharmaceutical and medical technology products," Oliver Burgel, global executive vice president of operations, procurement, HR and quality at Gerresheimer, said in a statement.

"With its highly modern technology, the building is at the same time an important building block for assuring the future of our production facility in Pfreimd," Burgel said.

In December 2021, the company entered into an agreement with a U.S. biotech company to develop a drug delivery pump, which consists of two parts, one of which can be reused.

"This agreement is another important milestone on our way to becoming a solution provider for leading and innovative medical devices," said Dietmar Siemssen, CEO of Gerresheimer. "Our patented pump technology has already proven itself in use for Parkinson's therapy, and in [the] future we expect it will also help to improve the quality of life of people with rare diseases."

The pump, for the continuous parenteral administration of a liquid drug, will be specially adapted by Gerresheimer to the needs of patients with a "rare disease," a Dec. 16 news release said.

Gerresheimer plans to have the pump approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration in the future. The American biotech company will fund the development of the pump, the release said. After market launch, Gerresheimer will sell the pump to the company and receive a transfer price and royalty.

Gerresheimer has about 10,000 employees globally with locations in Europe, North and South America and Asia. It manufactures pharmaceutical packaging and products for administering medications, including insulin pens, inhalers, micro pumps, pre-fillable syringes, injection vials, ampules, bottles, and containers for liquid and solid medications with sealing and safety systems.