Pumps for delivering drugs through the nose, ear and skin form a small but growing part of business at MWV. In 2011 MWV began pushing its preservative free pumps for nasal delivery and has now reported an uptick across its portfolio.
“We're becoming a proven supplier of pumps for the healthcare market. Sales were up more than 20 per cent in our medical pumps business as we gain share from established competitors”, said John Luke, CEO of MWV, in a conference call with investors.
Improved pump sales contributed to four per cent growth at the consumer solutions unit. The group, which accounted for a third of sales in the quarter, sells packaging to the beverage, personal care and healthcare industries.
Compliance packaging
Pumps are one of two areas of focus at the healthcare unit, the other being compliance packaging. To increase the likelihood patients follow their solid dose treatment regime MWV has developed a range of blister packs, including Shellpak.
In the last quarter MWV published data showing packaging can encourage patients to take medicines as prescribed. The research, published in Clinical Therapeutics, found use of calendar blister packs is “associated with modest improvement in prescription refill adherence and persistence”.
Even this modest improvement could have a sizeable impact. “An adherence strategy of even small effect size that is broadly implemented on a population level could significantly leverage therapeutic effect and provide substantial cumulative public health benefit”, said the researchers.
Luke said the finding is a “breakthrough” that extends the growth potential of the Shellpak model. “We've already won new business for Shellpak with one of the India's largest pharmaceutical companies”, said Luke.