The Germany-based high-tech innovative label company Schreiner MediPharm has partnered with the US-based Keystone Folding Box Co to develop a child-resistant, senior-friendly blister packaging solution featuring integrated electronics to capture dosing history data.
Building on Keystone’s Key-Pak wallet card for oral solid dose medication, the Smart Blister Wallet integrates conductive trace patterns linked to each cavity location on the wallet card. Every time a dose is removed, data is generated – the time and date, the specific cavity location, and more.
This data is stored within the electronics inside the pack and can be transmitted via NFC or Bluetooth to track patient compliance. It is also capable of reminding patients to take their medication when needed and can be adjusted to accommodate changes in therapy plans. Special software can also be applied for the purposes of central tracking, as well as data documentation and analysis.
Meanwhile, Key-Pak’s standard push-through safety feature is set to provide accessibility for all patients. Its blister arrangement, number of cavities, and tablet shapes can be customized to fit a range of dosing schemes and clinical trials, while its smart features are set to shorten trials and accelerate approval for new medication by optimizing processes and improving data quality.
According to Schreiner MediPharm, the Smart Blister Wallet’s manufacturing process can be scaled up to facilitate end-to-end automated production, and the final pack is geared towards patient comfort and safety while facilitating efficiency and flexibility in clinical research environments.
In another achievement for Schreiner MediPharm, its Smart Blister Card was awarded a prize by FINAT under its ‘Innovation & Electronic Printing – Electronic Devices’ category. Using a digital adherence monitoring tool, it tracks medication intake from standard multi-dose blister packs in real time.
Additionally, Bayer has sought to develop a fibre-based blister pack, while PAPACKS’ tablet blister made from ‘renewable raw materials with organic coating’ was nominated as a finalist under the Pre-Commercialized Renewables category in the Sustainability Awards 2023.
First published by Packaging Europe on 29 November 2023. Reprinted by permission.
