News Release

Teva and Styrolution help breathe new life into the global inhaler market

10/11/14

Frankfurt, Germany

 

  • Teva selects Styrolution for its Spiromax dry powder inhaler
  • Terlux HD and Novodur HD meet Teva's high performance standards
  • Styrolution to showcase healthcare innovations at COMPAMED 2014

Frankfurt, Germany – November 10, 2014 – Teva is a leading global pharmaceutical company, committed to increasing access to high-quality healthcare through affordable generic drugs, specialty pharmaceuticals and active ingredients.  Building upon a long-term partnership, Teva worked closely with Styrolution, the global leader in styrenics, to identify new styrenic material solutions for its dry powder inhaler, Spiromax. This inhaler is one of a number of applications Styrolution will showcase during COMPAMED, a leading international tradeshow for medical suppliers taking place November 12-14 in Dusseldorf, Germany.

Key points:

  • Teva selects Styrolution for its dry powder inhaler – Spiromax: To differentiate itself from other market players, Teva developed an inhaler design for the Spiromax that is both uniquely simple and intuitive. A significant contributing factor towards Teva's success was sourcing the right materials to create the new inhaler. Also important for Teva was to collaborate with a material provider who understands the requirements of the healthcare industry's often complex regulatory environment and offers long-term recipes for its products. For these reasons, Teva turned to Styrolution for its medical-grade styrenic specialties, Novodur HD and Terlux HD, as well as its HD Service Packages.
  • Meeting Teva's high performance standards: Teva selected Novodur HD for the inhaler's shaft because it offered a unique combination of high surface quality, dimensional stability, heat resistance and robustness. The inhaler's unique shade of white results from Styrolution's customized color development on behalf of Teva. For the mouth piece, the company selected Styrolution's transparent Terlux HD. The material's inherent impact strength and chemical resistance contribute to the Spiromax's accurate and consistent dosing, leading ultimately to a better patient experience. Furthermore, Terlux lends itself well to self-coloring making it possible for customers like Teva to offer consumers an array of color options suited to their individual tastes.
  • Styrolution to showcase its latest medical innovations at COMPAMED 2014:Styrolution will exhibit at COMPAMED, a leading international tradeshow for medical suppliers, November 12-14 in Dusseldorf, Germany. At its booth located in (Hall 8b Booth J38), Styrolution will showcase its latest innovations for healthcare, including the Spiromax.
  • Novodur and Terlux HD – safe and reliable styrenics for medical applications:Novodur HD grades are specialty acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) polymers which provide good stiffness, impact resistance, chemical resistance and dimensional stability. These well-balanced properties, in combination with excellent surface appearance, often make Novodur HD grades the materials of choice for medical device housings. Furthermore, the high-gloss surface and feel lends products an additional perception of intrinsic value. Styrolution's Novodur HD grades boast a long performance record in the medical device market.Terlux HD belongs to Styrolution's family of methyl methacrylate acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (MABS) polymers, which offer excellent transparency, customizable toughness and good chemical resistance. Terlux can also be solvent bonded very easily to other common materials found in medical applications.
  • Styrolution's HD Service Packages help companies optimize resources: Styrolution is revitalizing customer care in the healthcare industry with best-in-class service packages, which offer fixed formulations and long-term notification of change. Both Novodur HD and Terlux HD are supported by Styrolution's HD Service Package, which also includes the tailor-made color development Styrolution performed for Teva. The company's HD Service Packages help customers like Teva save time and money, so they can focus their resources on product vision and design instead of regulatory requirements.

Quotes:

Dan Buck, Head of Device Engineering, Teva: "Clearly even the best design can only be achieved if you have the right materials. At Styrolution, we have discovered truly innovative material solutions that have helped Teva create a successful product that is a game changer in the inhaler market. Novodur HD and Terlux HD certainly deliver on the performance during production and patient use that we aimed to achieve."

Pieter Bekaert, Head of Healthcare EMEA, Styrolution:  "Teva's focus on Spiromax's simple and intuitive design has resulted in a unique product that is having a positive effect on the lives of thousands across the world. The Styrolution team is proud of the results of our collaborative innovation with Teva that extends already over a period of several years. We look forward to our continued partnership."