West and SCHOTT Announce Partnership to combine the SCHOTT iQ® Platform with West's Ready Pack™ System

Supports Global Customers Seeking High-quality, Ready-to-use Packaging Products

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Nov 06, 2019, 05:00 ET

FRANKFURT, Germany, Nov. 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- (Booths #F62 & #F10 -Hall 11.1) West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (NYSE: WST), a global leader in innovative solutions for injectable drug administration, and the international technology group SCHOTT, a leading primary packaging solutions provider, today announced a partnership to combine the SCHOTT iQ® platform with West's Ready Pack™ system. The collaboration will initially launch by combining West components and SCHOTT's adaptiQ® high-quality RTU glass vials and will expand to include other convenient, ready-to-use combinations of West and SCHOTT products, to be available on a small-quantity basis. The companies made the announcement at the CPhI Worldwide conference, and shared plans to expand West's Ready Pack system to include additional SCHOTT glass offerings— including more vial formats as well as ready-to-use cartridges (cartriQ™) and pre-fillable glass syringes (syriQ®). Further product launch plans will be shared at the Pharmapack meeting in early 2020.

"With more than 4,000 new injectable drug products in development worldwide, many of which are in small settings such as universities, medical research institutes, or smaller-sized companies, West appreciates and understands the need to provide ready-to-use, high quality, sterile packaging products in small volumes for developmental and clinical phases," said Mike Schaefers, Ph.D., Vice President and General Manager, Pharma, West. "Our partnership with SCHOTT now provides our customers with high-quality glass containment options to complement the stoppers, seals and glass alternatives West already provides through its Ready Pack system."

"Easy and fast access to our broad product portfolio of ready-to-use vials and components not only gives flexibility in the drug development and production process, but also helps to enhance patient's safety as an overall target," said Fabian Stöcker, VP, Global Strategy and Innovation, SCHOTT Pharmaceutical Systems. He added, "Through this partnership, SCHOTT and West have partnered to provide containment solutions to the market that reduce risk and meet the increasing regulations across the globe. We worked together to pre-test combinations of SCHOTT's highest quality ISO vials, with West's high-end sterilized stoppers and seals. Extending this concept to other primary packaging containers such as ready-to-use cartridges and ready-to-use syringes will also benefit our customers using this kind of primary packaging."

West's Ready Pack system consists of sterilized NovaPure® stoppers, Flip-Off® CCS seals and SCHOTT's adaptiQ vials. Ready Pack components are provided ready-to-use, from stock, so they are prepared to ship when customers place their order. The combination of West and SCHOTT products is well-suited for Research and Development purposes or for small filling operations. The Ready Pack system is also scalable, designed to support a smooth transition from early-stage pilot manufacture to larger commercial-scale operations. All Ready Pack components have been tested and proven fit-for-use. This is supported by comprehensive technical data reports, including container closure integrity data, to support manufacturers in their development. West's Ready Pack system is available to order via West's online store.

SCHOTT's adaptiQ vials were developed in cooperation with innovative and highly regarded machine suppliers. The vials will be available in various formats with different sterile packaging options such as the clip nest, cup nest and tray solution and can be processed on a wide range of existing and new fill and finish equipment. Nested processing of the vials ensures no glass-to-glass contact of the vials throughout the fill finish process including lyophilization.

Forthcoming combinations of the products within the Ready Pack and SCHOTT iQ platforms will extend to customizable configurations in order to meet various requirements, whether changing batch sizes or accommodating different container needs, especially for biologic drugs. In the near future, West and SCHOTT look forward to growing this partnership through more combined high-quality product offerings leveraging the SCHOTT iQ® portfolio as well as a range of West and Daikyo proprietary packaging components in response to the needs of global customers and ultimately, serving patients.

West and the diamond logo, Ready Pack™, Flip-Off®, and NovaPure® are trademarks and registered trademarks of West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc., in the United States and other jurisdictions.

SCHOTT iQ^®, adaptiQ^®, syriQ^® are registered trademarks of SCHOTT AG.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain forward-looking statements are included in this press release. They use words such as "will," "expand," "look forward," "growing," and other similar terminology. These statements reflect management's current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date of this release. There is no certainty that actual results will be achieved in-line with current expectations or that the platforms, product offerings or collaboration described in this release will achieve any particular result. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties. The following are some of the factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or underlying our forward-looking statements: customer decisions to move forward with our new product offerings, dependence on third-party suppliers and partners and the ability to meet development milestones with key customers. These important factors are not all inclusive. For a description of certain additional factors that could cause West's future results to differ from those expressed in any such forward-looking statements, see Item 1A, entitled "Risk Factors," in West's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018. Except as required by law or regulation, West undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

About Schott:

SCHOTT Pharmaceutical Systems is a leading supplier of primary pharma packaging and analytical lab services. We provide quality solutions while meeting the highest demands. Our product portfolio includes ampoules, syringes, cartridges and vials as well as various polymer solutions. Furthermore, we are constantly improving our products and offer individual customer solutions to remain on top of the market's needs. Our lab analytics experts offer a wide variety of lab services for pharmaceutical packaging to our customers in finding solutions to their most challenging packaging requirements. Our production facilities and products comply with the highest international standards for pharmaceutical needs.

SCHOTT is a leading international technology group in the areas of specialty glass, glass-ceramics and related high-tech materials. With over 130 years of experience, the company is an innovative partner to many industries, including the home appliance, pharma, electronics, optics, life sciences, automotive and aviation industries. SCHOTT has a global presence with production sites and sales offices in 34 countries. In the 2017/2018 fiscal year, the group generated sales of EUR 2.08 billion with over 15,500 employees. SCHOTT AG has its headquarters in Mainz (Germany) and is solely owned by the Carl Zeiss Foundation. This is one of the oldest private and largest science-promoting foundations in Germany. As a foundation company, SCHOTT assumes special responsibility for its employees, society and the environment.

About West:

West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of packaging components and delivery systems for injectable drugs and healthcare products. Working by the side of its customers from concept to patient, West creates products that promote the efficiency, reliability and safety of the world's pharmaceutical drug supply. West's products and services address the unique needs of our Biologics, Pharmaceutical, Generics and Contract Manufacturing customers. The Company also offers an Integrated Solutions Program—a comprehensive approach that combines West's high-quality packaging and delivery products with expert analytical testing, device manufacturing and assembly, and regulatory expertise.

West is headquartered in Exton, Pennsylvania, and supports its customers from locations in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. West's 2018 net sales of $1.7 billion reflect the daily use of approximately 112 million of its components and devices, which are designed to improve the delivery of healthcare to patients around the world. For more information, visit www.westpharma.com.

SOURCE West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.