BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) , a leading global medical technology company, today announced the launch of the BD SCF™ PremiumCoat^®† Plunger Stopper in partnership with Aptar Pharma, a global leader in drug delivery solutions and services.

BD SCF™ PremiumCoat^®† is a syringe plunger stopper designed to support the injection of biologics into subcutaneous tissue with a 1mlL pre-filled syringe. The design incorporates Aptar Pharma’s state-of-the-art rubber formulation^† and proven film technology^§ intended to limit drug component interactions and ensure drug integrity. BD SCF™ PremiumCoat^®† is designed to deliver improved functional performance, such as reduced glide force^{¶,#,^} and glide force variability^{¶,#,^} in a combination product.

“Biologics represent a critical and fast-growing segment of the drug market in the fight against serious diseases,” said Eric Borin, worldwide president of BD Medical-Pharmaceutical Systems. “Enhanced biologic combination products are needed to ensure that patients and their caregivers can administer these drugs from the comfort of their homes. This partnership with Aptar Pharma will help deliver on that need.”

The BD SCF™ PremiumCoat^®† Plunger Stopper addresses the need of pharmaceutical companies to de-risk drug development and support time to market while improving operational efficiencies and reducing stopper-related quality issues (1). The quality of this stopper is verified, in part, using BD Visioguard™ 100 percent camera inspection. This inspection serves to ensure that BD SCF™ PremiumCoat^®† 1mlL Plunger Stoppers meet customer specifications and help reduce the risk of foreign matter contamination^μ (2). 

“The launch of BD SCF™ PremiumCoat^®† Plunger Stopper, merging BD and Aptar Pharma’s expertise, brings a new generation of coated plunger stopper solutions to the market to support the protection of sensitive drugs by reducing the quantity and species of probable leachables,” said Gabriel Zenker, President, Aptar Pharma Injectables. “In partnering with BD, we look forward to furthering our support of biotech companies in their efforts to provide safe and easy-to-use drug delivery systems, while we continue to invest in new technologies to address the evolving needs of market.”