Pre-filled syringes: a review of the history, manufacturing and challenges

Abstract

Pre-filled syringes are convenient devices for the delivery of parenteral medications. They are small which makes them easy to carry and are dependable for delivering a precise dose of medication. These and many other reasons are leading to their growth in the pharmaceutical market. There are a number of review articles that describe the advantages and disadvantages of pre-filled syringes. However, there are few journal articles that present information on their manufacturing and challenges. The intent of this review article is to provide information on the history of the pre-filled syringe, methods of their manufacture, methods of filling syringes as a drug product and to examine the types of syringes available. This type of knowledge can familiarize the formulation scientist with the choices available and their possible challenges.

• Cyclic olefin polymer
• delivery devices
• filling
• glass
• injections
• pharmaceutical manufacturing

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Tim Paul and Erika Snodderly for sharing their knowledge about pre-filled syringe filling and testing. We would also like to thank the Baxter Biopharma Solutions Technical Transfer Department for equipment photographs.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.