Beyond Sachets: Customized Sorbent Solutions For Increased Packaging Flexibility

By Adrian Possumato, Global Director of Healthcare Packaging, Multisorb Technologies

As the healthcare market continues to grow and evolve, sorbent (desiccant, oxygen absorber, hydrocarbon adsorbent) manufacturers are faced with developing new sorbent formats that will allow placement flexibility while continuing to positively impact the drug or device stability profile. Previously, an off-the-shelf desiccant or oxygen absorber dropped into a bottle would be expected to provide the protection required, but with scientific advances, such as those seen in drug formulations and drug/ device products, sorbent selection often requires  a more sophisticated approach.

Just as drug and device manufacturers have become aware that not every healthcare product will benefit from the same sorbent formulation, they must also be made aware that not every product will benefit from the same type of sorbent format. Not only do new drugs and devices often require intelligent sorbents — sorbents that react to and manage the packaging headspace — but frequently they demand nontraditional and often customized formats necessitated by space constraints within the packaging or device as well as certain packaging configurations.

Drop-in sorbents, in the form of canisters and sachets, are traditional style sorbents.  When customized to a particular drug formulation, drop-in sorbents can effectively remove or manage moisture, remove oxygen, and/or remove hydrocarbons from the primary packaging.  Sorbent canisters are primarily used in bottling operations. Sachets provide a little more versatility, providing drug stability in several packaging presentations, such as bottles and flow wrapped packages.