Vetter wins award for best facility processes

The specialist in aseptically prefilled injection system production received the industry recognition in the Process Innovation category for its new facility Ravensburg Vetter South (RVS). The award, which is sponsored jointly by ISPE, Interphex and the publication Pharmaceutical Process, was granted after a jury of experts selected RVS for its technological innovations in the manufacturing of prefilled syringes, cartridges and vials. "The facility features maximum automation, high standards of sterility, safety and quality," said the jury. They noted in particular that "automation was planned throughout the building, from door openers to the use of the brand new Restricted Access Barrier System (RABS) on the filling lines." With the facility, which began operating in October 2006, the company will increase its capacity to 400m units per year. Vetter's production site currently has two filling lines for liquid and lyophilised injectable drugs in the following systems: dual-chamber syringes, single- and dual-chamber cartridges and vials. Two more lines will be added in the near future, the firm said. "The market of injectables is a future growing market, especially many biotech products are in the pipeline of our clients in the next coming years," Dr Juergen Koch, Vetter's managing director told Outsourcing-Pharma.com earlier this year. "Vetter has built this facility as a reaction of market and client requests."