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Packaging

The shelf life of most products is affected by the packaging (container-closure system). FreeThink excels at scientifically selecting the optimal package for stability while balancing long-term costs.

Why Work With FreeThink’s Packaging Team

FreeThink’s scientists and engineers are adept at determining the appropriate packaging to ensure adequate product stability using the best science for rapid package selection. Instead of costly and time-consuming trial-and-error methods, FreeThink has developed an intelligent process that ensures the optimal packaging is chosen.

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Packaging

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Packaging

Moisture Protection

Oxygen Protection

Absorbers

Bottles, Blisters, Pouches, Drums

Packaging

Moisture Protection

Oxygen Protection

Absorbers

Bottles, Blisters, Pouches, Drums

Moisture Protection

Moisture impacts how most product critical quality attributes change over time. FreeThink uses ASAPprime® open condition accelerated stability studies to explicitly determine sensitivity to relative humidity. Combining the product’s moisture sorption isotherm with the packaging permeability (moisture vapor transmission rate), the internal relative humidity versus time is calculated. This internal relative humidity is combined with the ASAPprime® analysis for sensitivity to moisture to determine the packaging necessary to assure the desired shelf life.

Oxygen Protection

Oxidation reactions can cause loss of activity and formation of undesirable by-products. In many cases, oxidative degradation can be reduced with formulation options (e.g., antioxidants, excipients that do not generate peroxides). Learn how FreeThink’s laboratories can rapidly assess such formulation options.

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Absorbers

When keeping moisture and/or oxygen out is not sufficient, another option is use of absorbers. Forgoing trial and error, FreeThink scientists directly and rapidly determine how much and what type of desiccant or oxygen absorber will provide adequate coverage for a product in its packaging, all while minimizing overall costs.

Bottles, Blisters, Pouches, Drums

FreeThink scientists assess the moisture and oxygen barrier properties of packaging options more thoroughly than is done using traditional measurements. Our methods explicitly take into account the temperature dependence of packaging permeability by measuring moisture and oxygen permeability at three or more temperatures. We also recognize that raw material data often do not reflect the true permeabilities of the formed package and will try to measure these permeabilities on the actual package itself.

FAQs

Q: What is unique about FreeThink’s determinations of MVTR or OTR values?

Unlike many companies that test materials before forming the final package, FreeThink measures the actual formed package (e.g., blister cavities) across multiple temperatures. This approach provides a comprehensive understanding of the package’s behavior under real-world conditions.

Contact us to learn how FreeThink can assist with your packaging challenges [here].

Q: Can FreeThink help determine whether sustainable packaging will work for our product?

Yes, FreeThink uses ASAPprime® to evaluate a product’s moisture and oxygen sensitivity. By combining this with package permeability calculations, we identify the maximum allowable permeability for each product. This ensures sustainable packaging options are viable while maintaining product stability.

Explore how sustainable packaging could work for your product [here].

Q: How do you help with repackaging acceptability? What about in-use stability?

FreeThink conducts ASAP studies to justify various repackaging options, such as transferring products from bottles to blisters. We also model in-use conditions, such as the impact of repeatedly opening a bottle of tablets or capsules.

Contact us to learn how FreeThink can assist with your packaging challenges [here].

Q: Can you assist as we extend from a US drug tablet product in bottles to global distribution?

Absolutely. FreeThink has extensive experience in global packaging considerations, including adapting to challenges like Zone IVb conditions and transitioning from bottles to blisters.

Contact us to discuss your global packaging needs [here].

Q: Can FreeThink determine my product’s specification limits for headspace oxygen?

Yes, we experimentally determine oxygen sensitivity and consumption rates based on temperature, relative humidity, and oxygen concentrations. Using these data, we model the oxygen transmission rate of the packaging and initial oxygen concentration to assign maximum oxygen levels at release, ensuring the desired shelf life.

Discover more about oxygen ASAP studies [here].

Q: Is FreeThink connected with any vendors of packaging materials?

While we’ve worked with many packaging material suppliers, we remain independent and can support clients objectively regardless of their preferred vendors.

Contact us to learn how FreeThink can assist with your packaging challenges [here].