ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION Driven by the development of biotechnology products, newer drug therapies, and reformulation of poorly soluble drugs, parenteral delivery is expected to provide strong growth in years to come. Routes of administration include subcutaneous, intramuscular, intradermal and intravenous injections. Drug products have been almost exclusively dispensed in glass containers, primarily because of the clarity, inertness, barrier property and thermal resistance of these containers. With the development of plastic polymer technology over the last 30 years, plastics have become logical alternatives for small-volume parenteral (SVP) and largevolume parenteral (LVP) packaging. Although plastic containers have become well-established as containers for LVP products, plastics have been, until recently, used on a limited scale for SVPs.