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2nd March 2010

Novel syringe demonstrates cost benefits of sustainable product design

• Cambridge Consultants unveils innovative concept for high-quality prefilled syringe, cutting volume of a typical pack in half

Cambridge Consultants, a leading technology product design and development firm, today announced its novel pre-filled syringe concept ‘Syreen.’  A revolutionary ‘green’ syringe design, Syreen is a highly effective, safe, and easy-to-use drug delivery device for self administration use, designed to ease the resource intensity and material wastage associated with traditional syringe development and manufacture.

Instead of glass, Syreen syringes are made with COP (cyclic olefin polymer) plastic, which has enabled Cambridge Consultants to shed the need for secondary packaging altogether, a first in this medical device arena.  The makeup of the Syreen allows syringes to clip together, nesting in a pack while the COP design doubles as the outer shell of the packaging itself.  The Syreen therefore eliminates the need for wasteful fillers such as cardboard and styrofoam, reducing the packaging weight by 30 percent and volume by 50 percent from today’s standard packaging.  The United States alone produces 6,600 tons of medical waste per day, equalling well over two million tons per year—approximately 85 percent of which goes to landfills throughout the country.¹

“What makes Syreen so exciting is that while it is a sustainable alternative to the status quo, it can truly introduce a paradigm shift in the existing supply chain,” said Phil Lever, Commercial Director, Drug Delivery Devices for Cambridge Consultants.  “We found that typical glass syringes use many materials from all over the world and that shipping costs are egregious due to inefficiencies in packaging.  This marriage of economy and ecology shows that medical device companies will likely see competitive benefits by taking sustainability seriously.”

To use Syreen, simply unclip the prefilled syringe and put it against the desired area on the skin.  After delivery, with a simple snap, the user ejects the needle into the sharps bin and allowing the user to potentially recycle the plastic capsule.  Patient and healthcare provider safety is also increased due to two further features of the design.  Firstly, the COP plastic syringe features a curved surface over the needle that, while keeping the syringe from rolling and reducing needle-stick accidents, also ensures overall stability and depth control during injection.  Secondly, the design insures that, with separated plunger and stopper, it is impossible to take in blood or other contaminants, reducing the risk of cross infection.

Cambridge Consultants is currently seeking to develop the Syreen concept with large pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical packaging companies.

¹ “Waste Reduction: Why Focus on Waste,” [online] (Arlington, VA, Practice Greenehalth [cited 23 July 2008]) available from Internet: http://cms.h2e-online.org/ee/waste-reduction

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