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20 Pharmaceutical Technology BIOLOGICS AND STERILE DRUG MANUFACTURING 2020 P h a r mTe c h . c o m Manufacturing W ith an aging population, the resultant increase in prev- alence of chronic diseases, and more demand from patients for dosing convenience, the biopharma indus- try has seen an exponential increase in adoption of biological therapies delivered in prefilled syringes. The overall prefilled syringes market is forecasted to be worth nearly $10 billion by the year 2025, according to market research (1), driven in part by the rise in use of biological drugs. "There are definitely more prefilled syringes compared to 10 years ago," confirms Gregory Sacha, senior research scientist, Baxter BioPharma Solutions. "This is certainly due to the increase in therapeutic biologics." Another reason, in Sacha's opinion, for the growth seen in the prefilled syringes market is the expanding ophthalmic market, where drugs are intended for injection into the eye for the treatment of macular degen- eration and other complications related to aging and diabetes. "The volumes for injection into the eye are very low, around 20 µL to 30 µL," he explains. "The low volumes are challenging to draw into syringes; therefore, prefilled syringes make it easier to deliver the intended dose." By removing the requirement of larger overfill volumes, such as those required when using vials for example, there is less waste of the drug solution with money and materials being saved when using prefilled syringes, asserts Sacha. These cost savings and reduction in waste are key advantages of prefilled syringes, in addition to patient convenience, as the dose is already prepared and ready for administration, he adds. A variety of challenges "Biologics as proteins by their very nature create a variety of challenges with respect to subcutaneous delivery via a prefilled syringe," says George I'ons, head of product strategy and insights, Owen Mumford ELCOVAL ANA - STOCK.ADOBE.COM On Point: Biologics Drive Growth in Pre-Filled Syringes Felicity Thomas As a result of the rising use and development of biological drugs, the biopharma industry is witnessing an increase in the adoption of prefilled syringes.