Jeddah-based Finetool Saudi Arabia selected PolyOne GLS’s Versaflex HC TPE for the resealing septum in its new insert-moulded IV bottle.

It says that the Versaflex HC improves the resealing and coring performance of the septum, as well as enables the company to reduce processing steps – which is an economic advantage.

Ahmed Noah, General Manager of Finetool SA, commented, “The new PolyOne Versaflex HC material delivers better processability than rubber for cost advantages, plus excellent resealing capability and cleanliness.”

Charles Page, Global Marketing Director, PolyOne, says that the Versaflex HC provides a unique alternative to vulcanised rubber septums and stoppers. “One of its notable advantages is streamlined processing that replaces multiple operations with one injection moulding step. We collaborated with Finetool on this successful application and look forward to a continued relationship focused on other packaging innovations.”

Moreover, Versaflex HC delivers proven resealing capability and resistance to coring – the tendency for a material to produce tiny fragments when penetrated by a needle – with 6mm IV infusion spikes and needles 16 gauge and smaller, even after multiple uses.

According to Polyone, the new material provides superior cleanliness by avoiding sulfur, zinc and other cross-linking agents used in curing rubber, which can potentially leach into a drug product. The formulation meets the requirements of the ISO 15759 standard for medical infusion equipment, and can be steam autoclaved using temperatures up to 121°C.