LEBANON, Pa. — SCHOTT Pharma has inaugurated new production lines for standard and sterile ready-to-use glass vials at its Lebanon, Pennsylvania, site, expanding U.S. manufacturing capacity for drug containment products used in biologics, complex injectable therapies, vaccines and emergency medications.
The company said the expansion represents an investment of more than $60 million and was largely funded by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA. SCHOTT Pharma said the project is intended to strengthen the U.S. pharmaceutical supply chain and support reliable domestic production of critical primary packaging.
The expansion significantly increases the site’s annual production capacity for core vials and more than triples local capacity for high-value solutions, according to the company.
“The expansion contributes to SCHOTT Pharma’s long-term global growth strategy, with a strong local-for-local presence in the U.S. and scaled manufacturing capacity for high-value solutions that address key trends in the pharmaceutical industry, such as biologic medications and novel drug formulations,” said Christian Mias, CEO of SCHOTT Pharma.
SCHOTT Pharma said the project included new high-end converting lines for core borosilicate glass vials, infrastructure modernization, line upgrades and advanced technology to expand production of specialty vial products. The expanded capabilities include the company’s adaptiQ ready-to-use vial platform and EVERIC pure vials.
“We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority for supporting the expansion of our U.S.-based manufacturing footprint. With its new advanced equipment, our site in Lebanon, Pennsylvania is strengthening supply chain resilience in the U.S. and ensuring the availability of primary packaging for critical life-saving therapies for patients throughout our nation,” said Christopher Cassidy, president of SCHOTT Pharma USA.
The Lebanon site is one of two SCHOTT Pharma locations worldwide capable of manufacturing EVERIC pure vials, which are designed with high chemical durability, a homogeneous inner surface and tight dimensional tolerances to support drug stability through shelf life. It is also the company’s only site producing adaptiQ pre-washed, pre-sterilized ready-to-use vials for customers in the U.S. and global markets.
SCHOTT Pharma said specialty vials in its high-value solutions portfolio are used to store sensitive medications, including biologics, biosimilars, emergency medicines, vaccines and therapies that require lyophilization to remain stable, such as antibody-drug conjugates for targeted cancer treatment.
The company said ready-to-use vials also support the pharmaceutical industry’s shift toward pre-sterilized primary packaging, allowing drugmakers and contract manufacturing organizations to fill products more efficiently while supporting drug safety and regulatory compliance.
The work described by SCHOTT Pharma was supported by BARDA, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, under award number IDSEP230073.
