Gerresheimer, Stevanato Group and SCHOTT Pharma Announce Strategic Industry “Alliance for RTU”

•  Market advances adoption of ready-to-use containers
• Improved operational efficiency in pharmaceutical manufacturing processes
• Increased patient safety with high-quality sterile primary packaging

Düsseldorf, September 26, 2024. Gerresheimer AG (MDAX: GXI), an innovative system and solution provider and a global partner for the pharma, biotech and cosmetic industries, together with Stevanato Group S.p.A. (NYSE: STVN), and SCHOTT Pharma AG & Co. KGaA (MDAX: 1SXP), announced today that they have entered into a strategic industry alliance ("Alliance for RTU") to support market adoption of Ready-to-Use (RTU) vials and cartridges.

The Alliance for RTU aims to share with pharmaceutical companies, CMOs and CDMOs expertise and technical knowledge in high-quality sterile primary packaging, specifically ready-to-fill vials and cartridges, highlighting RTU configurations' advantages over conventional bulk packaging.

Reduced risks and lower total cost of ownership

Traditional fill & finish processes present several operational risks and require increased efficiency. By adopting an industrial ready-to-use (RTU) setup, pharmaceutical companies and Contract Manufacturing Organizations (CMOs) can benefit from reduced operational risks, enhanced flexibility and efficiency, and lower waste. RTU technology can help streamline processes, increase productivity, and thus lower total cost of ownership (TCO) while reducing contamination risks and easing EU GMP Annex 1 compliance.

Pharmaceutical companies, CMOs and CDMOs opting for ready-to-use containers can benefit from higher-quality products, which helps minimize the release of glass particles and risks of breakage or rejection while preserving the drug inside throughout its entire life cycle.

Open expert platform for RTU industry standard

Additionally, the market is driving investment in advanced aseptic filling technologies due to increasing demand for injectable medicines and regulatory pressure to meet safety standards. In this context, the Alliance for RTU aims to create an expert platform open to other industry players to help industry manufacturers learn about the key benefits of RTU processes and products and to better evaluate investments for transitioning to efficient filling systems and meeting their unique needs from clinical applications to widespread commercial use.

"As an industry, we are fully prepared for the transition to RTU vials and cartridges,” said Lukas Burkhardt, Member of the Management Board of Gerresheimer AG. “With recent advancements, RTU processing is now a mature technology which will improve our customers operations in terms of efficiency, cost and time to market."

“RTU vials and cartridges represent a significant advancement in product quality, offering enhanced reliability and efficiency in pharmaceutical processes. This alliance allows us to highlight further how RTU solutions elevate standards across the industry, ensuring safer and more effective delivery of medications to patients worldwide" said Franco Stevanato, CEO at Stevanato Group.

“The shift towards ready-to-use vials and cartridges reflects a collective industry move to advance quality and efficiency in aseptic filling processes and this alliance shows readiness by expanding capacity and thereby supporting this market trend,” said Andreas Reisse, CEO at SCHOTT Pharma. “Ready-to-use solutions can reduce complexities and better meet the stringent requirements of modern pharmaceutical production.”

The Alliance for RTU will be officially presented at the CPHI in Milan on October 8, 2024 during a dedicated event at the tradeshow fairground.

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About Gerresheimer 
Gerresheimer is an innovative systems and solutions provider and a global partner for the pharma, biotech and cosmetic industries. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of pharmaceutical containment solutions, drug delivery systems and medical devices as well as solutions for the health industry. The product range includes digital solutions for therapy support, medication pumps, syringes, pens, auto-injectors and inhalers as well as vials, ampoules, tablet containers, dropper bottles, other bottles and more. Gerresheimer ensures the safe delivery and reliable administration of drugs to the patient. With 35 production sites in 16 countries in Europe, America and Asia, Gerresheimer has a global presence and produces locally for regional markets. With around 12,000 employees, the company generated revenues of around €2bn in 2023. Gerresheimer AG is listed in the MDAX on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ISIN: DE000A0LD6E6).  
 

About Stevanato Group
Founded in 1949, Stevanato Group is a leading global provider of drug containment, drug delivery and diagnostic solutions to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and life sciences industries. The Group delivers an integrated, end-to-end portfolio of products, processes and services that address customer needs across the entire drug life cycle at each of the development, clinical and commercial stages. Stevanato Group’s core capabilities in scientific research and development, its commitment to technical innovation and its engineering excellence are central to its ability to offer value added solutions to clients.

About SCHOTT Pharma
Human health matters. That is why SCHOTT Pharma designs solutions grounded in science to ensure that medications are safe and easy to use for people around the world. The portfolio comprises drug containment solutions and delivery systems for injectable drugs ranging from prefillable glass and polymer syringes to cartridges, vials, and ampoules. Every day, a team of over 4,600 people from over 60 nations work at SCHOTT Pharma to contribute to global healthcare. The company is represented in all main pharmaceutical hubs with 16 manufacturing sites in Europe, North and South America, and Asia. With over 1,000 patents and technologies developed in-house and a state-of-the-art R&D center in Switzerland, the company is focused on developing innovations for the future. SCHOTT Pharma AG & Co. KGaA is headquartered in Mainz, Germany and listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange as part of the MDAX. It is part of SCHOTT AG, which is owned by the Carl Zeiss Foundation. In light of this spirit, SCHOTT Pharma is committed to sustainable development for society and the environment and has the strategic goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2030. Currently, SCHOTT Pharma has over 1,800 customers including the top 30 leading pharma manufacturers for injectable drugs and generated revenue of EUR 899 million in the fiscal year 2023.

Contacts

Gerresheimer AG

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Jutta Lorberg
T 4

Investor Relations
Guido Pickert
T 45

SCHOTT Pharma

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Joana Kornblum
T 2

Investor Relations
Jasko Terzic, CFA

Stevanato Group

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Cassie Gonzalez

Investor Relations
Lisa Miles