The European Aluminum Foil Association (EAFA) awarded the Alufoil Trophy in the Product Protection category to Formpack Dessiflex Ultra, in recognition of the enhanced protection provided to the Augmentin product and the positive impact on the millions of patients who use it.

The new pharmaceutical packaging meets demand for a packaging solution that can absorb moisture, providing an impermeable moisture barrier via cross diffusion through the blister edges.

The Formpack Dessiflex Ultra blister solution was developed by Amcor, and this specific package was done in partnership with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) for their Augmentin product in the Pakistan market, and in close collaboration with packaging machine manufacturer CAM-Partena.

Augmentin is used to treat a range of bacterial infections. Previously for the Pakistan market, Augmentin tablets were packaged in a glass bottle with a desiccant sachet and sealed using an aluminium pilfer-proof closure with a liner. The new blister pack, using Formpack Dessiflex Ultra, allows patients to access each individual tablet which assists with adherence because patients can more easily see how many tablets have been taken, and how many remain in the treatment.

The new blister system is a smarter alternative to adding a desiccant wad or sachet to the six tablets within a glass container, as it removes ingestion risk for the patient and reduces complexity on GSK’s production lines.

For any aluminium blister, moisture can enter the cavity via cross diffusion through the seal layer, or as part of the tablet packaging process. Formpack® Dessiflex Ultra eliminates that risk, and it can dry moisture within the atmosphere of the cavity during the packaging process.

Formpack Dessiflex Ultra is the latest addition to Amcor’s Dessiflex range of healthcare packaging which also includes Dessiflex Plus, for which Amcor holds a patent.