Palo Alto, Calif. — September 30, 2005 —Drug delivery systems such as nasal spray, inhalers, transdermal patches, and oral ingestion redefine the U.S. pharmaceutical packaging markets. In addition, biologic based drugs and quick dissolving tablets increase the need for high barrier packages. The ease of use and convenience drives the shift from vials and ampules to prefilled syringes.

Nasal sprays and inhalers are likely to contribute to almost one-fourth of the revenue growth in the near future.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.chemicals.frost.com), U.S. Pharmaceutical Packaging Markets, reveals that revenues in these markets totaled $2,610 million in 2004 and can reach $3,338 million in 2011.

If you are interested in a virtual brochure, which provides manufacturers, end users, and other industry participants an overview of the latest analysis of the U.S. Pharmaceutical Packaging Markets, then send an e-mail to Trisha Bradley, Corporate Communications, at trisha.bradley@frost.com, with your full name, company name, title, telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address. Upon receipt of the above information, an overview will be sent to you by e-mail.

The role of pharmaceutical packaging shifts from a passive to an active one, thus becoming a critical component of drug delivery. There is an increased shift to high barrier and patient compliant packages.

“These new drug delivery systems are non-invasive and lead to better patient compliance,” points out Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Balaji Capaloor. “Pharmaceutical packaging has become vital in the initial drug developmental stages of the pharmaceutical process.”

Particularly, biologics-based drugs – that are very sensitive to moisture, oxygen, and light – specifically require high barrier packages. Due to this requirement and focus on patient compliance, the share of blister packages increases.

“The overall development of the pharmaceutical packaging markets is buoyed by an increase in the acquisitions of existing companies by new entrants,” elaborates Capaloor.

Further, increasing prescription scripts, resulting in growth in the unit pharmaceutical sales, leads to higher demand for pharmaceutical packages.

In this scenario, the U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturers and converters concentrate on down gauging as well as reducing package thickness and raw material consumption without compromising on the product quality and by improving the processes and technologies implemented.

Cost reduction gains greater importance among pharmaceutical companies as there is a drop in the number of expected blockbuster drugs in the pipeline and many of drugs are going off patent.

Further, with the rise in the aging population, there is a greater demand for packages that are simultaneously convenient for elders to handle and are child-resistant.

Pharmaceutical manufacturers become involved in the design process to devise means to curtail the damages during transit in case of mail order and Internet pharmacies. They adopt innovative designs to make their products attractive. Pharmaceutical companies have started to look at implementation radio frequency identification (RFID) tags in packages to overcome counterfeiting and in addition for tracking and managing inventory across the supply chain.

Increasing consumer awareness of diseases, diagnosis, and treatment, as well as a subsequent rise in drug consumption helps pharmaceutical packaging evolve as a channel to promote drugs, where the efficiency of the drugs depend on their packaging.

The U.S. Pharmaceutical Packaging Markets, a part of the Plastics and Polymers subscription, provides an overview and outlook for the pharmaceutical packagers in the U.S. markets. It segments the markets into containers, tubes, closures, blister packages, pouches, vials and ampules, intravenous (IV) containers, prefilled syringes and inhalers, and nasal sprays. The study enables the manufacturers of these products to design strategies and position their products to benefit from the changing markets and obtain maximum return on investments. Analyst interviews and executive briefings are available to the press.

Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, has been partnering with clients to support the development of innovative strategies for more than 40 years. The company's industry expertise integrates growth consulting, growth partnership services, and corporate management training to identify and develop opportunities. Frost & Sullivan serves an extensive clientele that includes Global 1000 companies, emerging companies, and the investment community by providing comprehensive industry coverage that reflects a unique global perspective and combines ongoing analysis of markets, technologies, econometrics, and demographics. For more information, visit www.frost.com.

U.S. Pharmaceutical Packaging Markets
F350-39

Contact:
Trisha Bradley
Corporate Communications – North America
P: 210.247.3870
F: 210.348.1003
E: trisha.bradley@frost.com

Katja Feick
Corporate Communications – Europe
P: +44 (0) 20 7915 7856
F: +44 (0) 20 7730 3343
E: katja.feick@frost.com

Donna Jeremiah
Corporate Communications – Asia Pacific
P: +603 6304 5832
F: +603 6201 7402
E: djeremiah@frost.com

http://www.frost.com

Keywords in this release: pharmaceutical packaging, United States, transdermal patches, oral ingestion, containers, tubes, closures, blister packages, pouches, vials and ampules, intravenous containers, IV, prefilled syringes, prefilled inhalers, nasal sprays, radio frequency identification, RFID research, information, market, trends, technology, service, forecast, market share