MD&M West attendees had the opportunity to experience a colorful new proof-of-concept drug delivery device manufactured by Covestro (pictured above).
The polymer company manufactured the device from its portfolio of medical-grade polycarbonate resins. The device uses low-profile polycarbonates in every part, simplifying the process of sorting and recycling after disposal.
“In today’s devices, if you were to look at a drug delivery device, you would see a whole range of different materials and different polymers that are not necessarily compatible with each other, if they were to be recycled together” , said Lauren Zetts, head of the health sector. for Covestro’s U.S. operations, said DM+DI. “We encourage the use of an all-polycarbonate device so that we have compatible materials to help support recycling.”
The demonstration device on display at MD&M West is designed to show potential customers how various polycarbonates and blends can be used, including Covestro’s Low Friction Makrolon Polycarbonate, Medical Glass-Filled Makrolon Polycarbonate, High Flow Medical Makrolon Polycarbonate and medical Bayblend PC+ABS. . Each plays an important role in creating a successful and sustainable solution that can reduce medical waste and improve patient comfort, according to Covestro.
“The healthcare industry is always looking for sustainable solutions and medical waste reduction,” Zetts said. “This unit has concepts that break new ground on multiple fronts, and we hope it inspires our counterparts in the medical device manufacturing community to take innovation even further.”
Covestro said its low-friction Makrolon medical polycarbonate is designed to improve consistency by allowing smooth action inside the device, which means parts last longer and doses are easier to administer. with less force.
“The way we look at sustainability is not just sustainable material selection, but also sustainable design,” said Douglas Hamilton, PhD, Global Head of Healthcare Sector for Covestro’s Polycarbonates Business Unit. . DM+DI.
At MD&M West, Covestro also showcased its new Makrolon RE polycarbonate for healthcare, which was launched late last year. The company said the new grades of polycarbonate have a low carbon footprint due to the use of renewable electricity, as well as raw materials from bio-waste and mass-balanced residue.
“This is an important step towards our vision of being fully circular,” said Lily Wang, engineering plastics manager at Covestro. “We are taking action to help our customers achieve their sustainability goals and accelerate the transformation to a fully circular future.”
