DRUG PACKAGER OF THE YEAR CORPORATE STRATEGY = ‘AsbaZenecle main packaging eam ireutes, fom et Kathy Mond vice president for customer and technical ‘operations; Rod Sta, he Neark faci’ execute ‘reload generat manager; Bare Thorpe, execute Wee present of gba operations; Ken Mutha vce president 1 US. business operations; Mike Forehand, senior manager for corporate pata tecnleal services; and Tama arts, eva’ sear doctor of operations. straZeneca’s prescription for success is pretty basic: Make patient health the cornerstone of everything it does. The Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical company is engaged in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of prescription pharmaceuticals and the supply of health care services.Packaging for the Anglo-Swedish drug giant focuses on information, patient-doctor relationship and compliance. — byPan pemetrakokes Executive Ector | ) 13) . { i Tad ag tls OCU RU ee | It is one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies with health care sales of over $21.4 billion and leading positions in sales of medications for cardiovascular disease, acid-related stomach disorders, cancer, psychiatric disorders and more. (See “From Arimidex to Zomig: AstraZeneca’s major products” on page 28.) y ee ———22 FoovspRuc Paci DRUG PACKAGER OF THE YEAR CORPORATE STRATEGY AstraZeneca's packaging is designed with a combination of consumer information and distine- tive brand markings to differenti- ate the product in a highly compet- itive marketplace. The success that the company has had with innova: tive packaging for its prescription products has led to Food & Drug Packaging naming AstraZeneca its Drug Packager of the Year, With more than 15,000 people dedicated to AstraZeneca’s ‘manufacturing and packaging, ‘operations worldwide, the company is well positioned to serve as a leader in pharmaceutical packagi ‘AstraZeneca is honored to be recognized by Food & Drug ving magazine a Drug Packager of the Year,” says Ken Murtha, vice president of US. n Murtha VP of US, business operations ‘business operations, “We have teams around the world working every day to improve the design and functionality of AstraZeneca packaging, and this accomplishment is aes employees’ commitment to enhancing patient health.” AstraZeneca does not deal with ‘over-the-counter drugs, but packaging is still a competitive priority—a strategic one, accord four to Barrie Thorpe, executive vice president of global operations. Kathy Monday, vice president for customer and technical operations, explains, is very unique is that ithin What I think Sero ual, one of AstraZeneca Nagship products is used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar mania. Patles starting on itmust follow sit regimen with dosoges that Inerease througout the fist week: 100 milligrams the fist day, 200mg the second, ‘and on up ta 800mg by day seven, “The plysiciansample/stater package for Seroquel gues the patent trough the remen. The bister card includes 25mg, 100m and 200mg pis. The Seroquel ‘arter Kis packaged under contiat at 056 Nonwlch Pharmaceuticals (rnonnichpharta.com). Making sure thatthe right pil ges int the ng blisters a pity, “ne blisters ae shaped to ft the pl, nhc eiferin size, They are custored in unique ways the fut 25m tablets for day one are ina singe stp, the 100mg tablets are in a rectangular pattern and so on. Tis ensures that incividvel groups of [listers can fit onls nto the eoeect slots onthe card, In addition, pls of dering stents are blister packaxed In ently soparate operations and are only combined jn he final seoondery packaging stop and kopt in separate rooms on te ine uni they safely in the Bstrs. operations over the last five years, patient is able to take the drug— we have focused specifically on how compliant are they to that packaging as one of ourstrategic medical therapy,” says Murtha, imperatives. “We feel that the package can have Because AstraZeneca is so ‘a positive impact on patient health heavily invested in improving couiteomes.” patient health through its prescription medications, ‘compliance is ane of the most Physicians’ samples and unit-of-use important functions of its packaging are two formats where packaging AstraZeneca is able to communi- "We at AstraZeneca believe very cate with patients to ensure that strongly in putting the health of | they take medicine correctly. patients first, and part of this “Packaging is really the most concept involves how well the direct way we as a manufacturer / DECEMBER 2005 wrn.dp.comDRUG PACKAGER OF THE YEAR CORPORATE STRATEGY ai anastrozole Sl: early stage breast cancer, The stater kts an example of how branding can work for presaption medicine. ‘he packags consists of 2 book-svle paperboard box vith a dlstincive image ofa woman with crossed pink boxing gloves-the index loge, syrbolizing the ht against cancer Inside the bos, besides the bottle with ‘he pls sa hooklet beating te boxing gloves image Avimidex isa teatment for post: mennpausal women with | ina FREE program rete with hp of omen with ess cance, reader, not only to the ‘medicine, but to the “In Your Comer” program, a chance to be included in monthly mailings about coping and living a full life after breast Enhancing the physician- patient relationship is another {hae exltns hen YourCorner progam itsamontny | 'TPOTEEN packaging goal, ‘naling of cancer-related topes physical-ftness tips, ‘humor and general advice on getting one's fe back after “cancer Itnchides « postpaid cad for reistring vith ‘the progam Weinreb, director of patient side effects that they need Weinreb says: “A well- informed patient is an adherent patient who knows ‘why this medication has been prescribed, what it’s expected touch that pationt,” says Meryl to do, and what are the potential programs. “Particularly witha to be aware of—the risks product sample—that is really the and benefits” Having the first touchpoint with the patient information in writing, after the doctor has prescribed that helps reinforce what the ‘medication, and it's a wonderful doctor tells the patient opportunity to begin a relationship during her visit, which swith that patient.” ‘may not all be retained. ‘That's one of the primary froma primary motivations behind the packaging conversation, she says. of Arimidex, AstraZeneca’s Physician samples, of ‘medication for breast cancer course, are important for patients who have completed another reason: as a tool to give chemotherapy above, The both patients and physicians an physicians’ sample for Arimidex opportunity to explore various includes a leaflet introducing the 24 FOODADRUG PACKAGING / DECEMBER 2005 treatment options, to find the right dose and medication for the tight patient. Direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising has emerged in recent years as one of the most important channels for educating consumers about prescription medications. “AstraZeneca uses DTC marketing, ‘campaigns for several product including Crestor, a treatment for cholesterol reduction and Nexium, ‘a treatment for acid reflux disease, Despite its name, DTC requires communicating with the doctor almost as much as the patient ‘because doctors are crucial in ensuring that patients adhere to their medications, And the shelves where doctors store samples have as many options as drugstore aisles, That’s why AstraZeneca is actively making, packaging enhancements that can improve the visibility of its physicians’ samples. ‘Monday outlined some of the questions that AstraZeneca asks in designing such packaging: “How can we be more innovative in how we position our product? How do we box them? How do we tray them? How do we ensure that the physician has easy access to it, understands Katy Monday WP forcustomer and technical operavons what itis and can dose appropriately among all the other packages that are sitting there?” vworw-fdp.comAstrazeneca Nos | ) CRESTOR | i })rosuvastatin calcium, ‘he pila’ sample for Crestor, o treatment for high colestea.s an expe oF providing expanded space fr information. Te ister card which lds seven tablets Freorporate ito auld yal that ineudes frat abou he modiine 2nd ‘bout eolestert-related issues in geeral. Ths has come as avesut of feedback fom neat care pracioners and physiians. ‘hey ooking for tools to beable to educate ter paints, and neve done that wi ‘Crestor says Katty Monday, veo president for estomer and technical operations “yi've even them te tools within the contest ofthis wallet pack” ‘Communicative packaging for industry are notably different than _physician’s samples takes on for other consumer-packaged ‘added importance in ‘goods, In most markets, RFID'S AstraZeneca’ case, because ‘Primary attraction is supply-chain. Pharmaceutical sales specialists _trackingyin pharmaceuticals, its | prefers ‘keeping that function in- | Predicate their time in the field to. product verification and ensuring a house, making face-to-face calls on safe, effective product through ‘AstraZeneca is taking a doctor and arrange for delivery of protection against counterfeiting, Proactive approach to RFID. This eonples separately, Murtha says. (Fora fall discussion see "With Satuies participation in the Perea semplesend-only RFID, drigs go their own way" in slandlane ooh 0B PE led Food & Drug through EPCglobal, and through Packaging, August, the planned execution of a pilot in 2008, which is 2006. AstraZeneca plans to pilot archived at [RFID in 2006 using both RFID tags wwwfdp.com) and bar codes to provide vAstraZeneca is setialization. This pilot will include » ichoe! Forehand looking at RFID as serialization to the lowest unit of “senioc manogerfor corporate seriously asany sale, along with individual cases. paciagingtectnicalseraces other drug “AstraZeneca already uses bar company, but codes atthe case level wit certain Company. Were the only one out executives are mindful ofthe svholesalers, Murtha says. “The there, andiT'm very proud of that,” technology's limitations in its concept will take it down to the Murtha says. “This philosophy current form. To be useful for bottle level” he says. “Because of acme tprecentaives upto product verification, RFID mustbe the way wesel PGs oe have a dialogue with the ved on the unit level Today’s _unitbasis—we're going tohave to fiysitan’” Oncethe physician RUD yatemsjustcartrunfast__ tracons wit has “"Thand when ce rteracample thesake force enough, says Michael Forehand, REID technology mae Grders it through handheld devices senior manager for corporate sufficiently, it should be able #0 that transmit directly tothe packaging technical services. supplant bar codes, Murtha adds. ‘warehouse, which ships the “What's yet tbe seen is ‘Scmples directly tothe physician. whether the software and hrarciwareean meet our production AstraZeneca stalus as ar international corporation also has Jmplications for packaging, The ‘company generates just over half ofits sales outside the United States. Asa result of straddling ‘several oceans, AstraZeneca must ‘balance the advantages of sourcing ‘packaging materials locally with > DECEMBER 2005 / FOODEDRUG PACKAGING 25,COVER STORY ssecucessccar= = From Arimidex to Zomi, PSCC MEM ora cy the need to standardize ‘manufacturing generally. This i" balance is especially important in pharmaceuticals, where } ‘manufacturing standardization is important for both quality control and regulatory compliance. “At the global level, we set the strategy for sourcing, taking into ‘account the needs of various markets, whether it be formulation or packaging. Within that, from a packaging perspective, we try to package as close tothe customer as possible,” Murtha says. “But atthe same time, we have the ‘opportunity, from a risk-mitigation standpoint, to have similar processes arounel the world. So in the event that we register products jn more than one facility, which is quite common, we're able to convert easily incase we have a business interruption of that site. ‘While we haver't had to do that, wwe till ave that contingency in place” Another company-wide initiative is streamlining in stock- Keeping units (SKUs). The company must balance the need to provide the unit-oFuse packaging, that customers want wih the need to keep inventories manageable Globally, that's not a problem as, longas AstraZeneca continues to get good information from its customers, says Thorpe, “As long as you have a responsive supply chain responding to real demand, then it shouldn't really make any difference in terms of proliferation of the end units,” Thorpe says. “In fact it can give us information we can use to help us drive the supply chain even better. We're linking directly into the wholesalers and the onward use, s0 we're seeing more early the real demand signal.” Streamlining in US. ‘AstraZeneca’s real push for streamlining SKUs is happening in the US, Murtha says. “We have a massive program underway on range management, which is our way of looking at ‘what isthe right mix of packages to have,” he says, “We don’t want an explosion of SKUs availabe, 26 FooDEDRUG PACKAGING / DECEMBER 2005 ‘ because it makes us les cost- effective atthe end ofthe day, and at the same time it does not necessarily get us to the customer impact we want” Packaging will remain an AstraZeneca priority, as the company continues to develop its understanding of what its customers truly want from packaging, Monday says. “There are alot of people who ‘thought there's not a lot you can clo with packaging,” Monday says. “"You package your product in a “We are reaching out to vendors who traditionally didn't supply the pharmaceutical industry” Roan Sta Brcutie decor and sonora manage, Nowe white bottle and off it goes. Depending on the pack size, the end user may never see the AstraZeneca boitle. About five years ago that was the only answer we had. We've come a Jong way in truly appreciating ‘what the physician wants in the sample closet. What do they need it to look like for brand and [product recognition? What does the dispensing pharmacy really ‘want? How can we help pharmacists best utilize shelf ‘space? What does the patient want in their pocket? How dowe support compliance with ease of use? How can we provide value to ‘the patient through our packs? We've come a long way, and that hhasa lot to do with the fact that we have focused resources and time in this area. We are continuously thinking about the future, and not just the here and now.” Fill ww fdp.comCOVER STORY Careful work with both vendors and floor workers is the key to efficiency at AstraZeneca’s Newark, Del., plant. he AstraZeneca plant in Newark, Del, is both fast and flexible. As flexible as a tri-fold physician-sample wallet. ‘The 609,000-square-foot plant (230,000 of it production space) is home to a packaging line for Crestor’, a flagship ‘AstraZeneca medication for lowering. cholesterol. The line runs te-fold. pphysician’s samples for Crestor at 30) per minute; plant personnel — claim it's the fastest line for that kind of package in the world. Other formats include botties, blisters, syringes, vials and inhalers. The line that packages Crestor fs one of 17 packaging lines atthe Newark facility. The plant, one of ‘two AstraZeneca facilites in the United States (and 29 worldwide), manufactures three products and packages about a dozen, including such AstraZeneca mainstays as Arimidex® (breast cancer), Toprol XL" (hypertension), Diprivan (anesthetic), Seroquel” “The Crestor walt isthe best speod ‘sol physician sample lin inthe wold, econ te Astrazeneca, 28 FOODSDRUG PACKAGING / DECEMBER 2005 (chizophrenia bipolar mania) and Zomig* (migraines). Each year, the plant packages greater ‘than two billion tablets into bottles and blisters (the later into both carded wallets and paperboard cartons), and produces more than 100 million total packages of various types. The physician's sample for Crestor is a good example of how AstraZeneca is responding to one of the most prominent trends in pharmaceuticals: putting more {information on the packaging, “vs definitely an increased requirement,” says Tanya Harris, senior director of operations. “T believe we're adding more and more information to educate doctors, pharmacists and customers as well.” Designing a tr-fold wallet to accommodate the additional information wasn't so tough. The hard part was procuring, machinery to run it fast enough. ‘That required a good deal of ‘cooperation between AstraZeneca and the principal equipment vendors: Uhlmann Packaging, Systems and Harro Hotliger Packaging Systems. www.tdp.com““Ithelped that both compani are located in close proximity in Germany and that Uhlmann, the project leader and intergrator, was line at Harro- Holger’ says John Callahan, senid ‘manager, packaging, “When the equipment is still on the vendor's floor, i's lot easier to make final adjustments and changes than when it’s on your floor It is more efficient for the ct to make changes at their facility since they have all the nee= essary resources such as designers, igineers, electricians andl fabs: tors to work on the equipment in ‘one location. The requested adjust- iments and changes are completed prior to the equipment being shipped and arriving at the Newark site,” says Callahan Partnering important Partnering with vendors is a al aspect of AstraZeneca’s production success, says Rod Stull, the Newark facility's executive director and general manager. “if we've going to have suc in this area, we're going to have to build a real partnership around [it], www.fdp.com not just us turning the spec over to the vendors and waiting for it to show up at the door,” Stull says. ‘Where I think we've had succ mntinuouis engagement with the vendor throughout the proces of design, build, factory acceptance test and then, ultimately, the acceptance atthe site AstraZeneca’s partnering, extends to machine vendc ordinarily don’t deal with the pharmaceutical industry. Like everyone el utives want to dri its packaging lines (and else ‘where in manufacturing). Extending ‘of potential ven- dors to companies that don’t ordi- sarily deal with pharmaceuticals is a way of keeping competition up and prices down. “We've really focused on trying, tobe a lot more competitive,” Stull says, “Other industries like the food industry have had the price pressures, the external pressures, tobe very competitive in their cost and the quality and their efficiency. So we are reaching out to vendors who traditionally didn’t supply the pharmac industryCOVER STORY ixeranr "=" Keeping up quality Of course, dealing with vendors ‘whose primary expertise is in food, or some other non pharmaceutical market, presents its own challenges. Quality and compliance issues have to be addressed in a very specific ‘manner, Some of AstraZeneca’s most striking recent successes, Harris says, have come about because the company partnered with equipment manufacturers in at the beginning of the process and rade sure they understand what the requirements are. “Specifically from the packaging end of things, [our goal] really is engaging, a the very early stages, component vendors, ‘equipment vendors and the users and the package designers, so all four of those parties understand the capabilities of the components, both individually and together,” Stull adds. For example, the buffer used on the high-speed bottling line at the ‘Newark facility, which rans about 225 bottles per minute (at 100 tablets per bottle), uses an accumu- lator from Harkness Internationa. ‘The buffer allows nine minutes of nominal accumulation. Hartness does most af its work outside the pharmaceutical industry. The firm told AstraZeneca officials that with most clients the signoff form can be restricted to ‘one page. The form for the AstraZeneca Newark application ran to 50, dealing with issues like urge friendliness (ease of cleaning), changeover issues and reject evel For instance, the equipment was designed with angled surfaces, no crevasses and other features to ensure that it would be hhard fora tablet to get “lost” in a 30 FooDeDRUG PACKING / DECEMBER 2005 gearbox ora belt and emerge when another product is being, bottled “That was a design change for us right out of the box, and that helped us really be able tonot make any design changes after that component was installed,” Harris says. Technical challenges It’s not just the machines that need more sophistication. The Newark plant needs personne! ‘who can take on techaical chal- lenges. The new equipment is noticeably more complex than the company’s existing packaging technology, Harris says: “All the way across the board, i's affect- Jing the people who work with or maintain the equipment.” That means a lot of additional training, time, often coordinated through é ‘come in lined drums the equipment vendor, she says, ‘Tablets ‘The technical nature of the that are sealed and locked. They ‘Newark operation is evident right are emptied by hand into a floor- from the beginning of processing level hopper/feeder from and packaging. Asophisticated _-Maschinpex. When the line is automatic storage and retrieval ready for more tablets, they vibrate system (ASRS) combines with a into an intermediate hopper on a network of automatic guided. vertical rail. This hopper ascends vehicles (AGVs) to deliver and dumps the tablets into a hole ‘materials to the lines as needed. _in the side ofthe feeder—an, ‘These materials include raw arrangement that keeps operators ‘material, bulk product and tablets from having to climb up a ladder for packaging, and packaging, carrying loads of tablets. materials like empty bottles and carton blanks, Card comes together ‘The ASRS picks the needed The tablets enter an Uhlmann pallets of material from a 11070 thermoformer. The system ‘warehouse that holds about 6500 unspools poly film and forms ofthem. A fleet of AGVs, with listers in it. The tablets are worker-bestowed nicknames like deposited in rows into the cavity, “"MaxieTaxi” and "Zig, Zag,” and an integrated vision system deliver the raw materials to the checks for broken or missing appropriate lines The AGVs and ones, Meanwhile, another part of >COVER STORY sas irene that . the foil is unwound, enna oa ed inhopresetiine inioeraoerBi the Hlorro-Hiliger equipment A buffer that can accumulate about 5,000 cards, toallow the thermofor continuing hen dlovnstream equipm hastostop duane caioner ate thnend cfthe Faro Hh Stepan igor le toca the system is printing lot codes, _side-rams the cards into them. The expiration dates and registration cartons then go into a case packer marks onto a web of foil. The fil from Schubert Packaging then is sealed to the blister, ‘which packs them 96 to a indexed and cut into cards. An corrugated case overhead conveyor, working, through suction, carries the cards Outgoing product and drops them onto a perpendi- The material handling system for cular belt, which takes them into a completed cases, as with the one Hlarro-Hifliger wallet machine, for incoming materials, uses the This equipment folds the carcl___ AGVs to deliver fully packed into thindsby-guidingitthrough a material back to the warehouse. of curv Ater they’te stretchwrapped by fa ating principle, but equipment from Lantech and/or ‘previously been ARPAC Group, pallets on the. eels, says AGVs go through gantry-style “size-weigh stations” that check for proper weight and pallet con- figuration; if case is missing or hanging over the edge, back the pallet goes. The pallets then enter the Finished Goods Distribution Center (FGDC) that can hold almost 10,000 pallets in its 13 sto- perevidence seals tories This sytem allows Newark ‘edge. to serve as a distribution center to ‘Asimilarline does physician- other AstraZeneca facilities and sample blisters for Toprol XL, to customers, 32 FoopEDRUG PACKAGING / DECEMBER 2005 Newark’s storage system also is set up to cope with one of the most vexing problems in material handling; mixed loads. It often happens that a clinic or small hos- pital will want a customized pal- Jet load. Operators pull the proper cases off pallets that are left unwrapped for that purpose, and put them ina “pick tunnel.” Photoelectric sensors read the bar codes on the cases and send them down one of five “pick chutes,” slides that spiral down to the packing floor, where material handling workers assemble them onto pallets ‘AstraZeneca personnel strive to ‘maintain quality while making, production and packaging as efficient as possible, Stull says. “Our top production challenge obviously is improving the quality of our output and at the same time, riving up the effectiveness or cefficoney of our output,” he says. “We're trying to achieve that Holy Grail of high-efficiency, high- quality production in conjunction ‘with outstangling safety, health and environmental performance.” (20? For more information ARPAC Group 847-678-9034; wvwarpergroup com arro Heflger Packaging Systems. 215-345-4256 Hartness International 864-297-1200; wmariness.com Lanteeh Ine, 800-866-0322; waiantoch com Maschinpex (11-43.7520-9669-10; wmwmaschinpex de ‘Schubert Packaging Systems 979-233-6665; awn sohubenparkagingcom Unimann Packaging Systems, 973-402-8855; wunuhlmannpackaging.com wor fd.