Mobile Metering Units Made From Bayer Polycarbonate

More and more people dream of being able to live for a long time in familiar surroundings even at an advanced age. However, certain illnesses necessitate longer hospital stays or frequent visits to the doctor—such as when medicines have to be taken regularly and in a controlled environment. This limits mobility and patient happiness. In addition, such therapy results in a cost burden for health insurers. Small, mobile devices that patients wear on their body or in their clothing are the solution here. German polymer manufacturer Bayer MaterialScience supports the development of such outpatient treatment systems with substantial know-how, as well as with special polycarbonate-based plastics.

Among the items the company will present at the K 2013 trade fair is a small mechanical injection pump that fits comfortably into one's breast pocket. Patients can thus administer their own medicines with high dosing accuracy. This gives them both mobility and security. Although the entirely mechanically operated injection pump has not yet been granted regulatory approval, it is a good example of the possibilities offered by mobile medication systems.

"To realise the pump's compact design, a high-tech material was required that satisfied stringent demands and is approved for this use," explains Dr Berit Stange, an expert in medical technology applications at Bayer MaterialScience. Makrolon Rx proved to be particularly well-suited for this purpose; all housing components are made of this material. Thanks to the material's transparency, patients can immediately check the filling level of the medicine.

The pump must often withstand impacts in everyday use. Also in this respect, polycarbonate is the material of choice thanks to its high impact strength and durability. The material can also be sterilised through high-energy radiation and is resistant to a broad spectrum of pharmaceuticals.

Another highlight at K 2013 is an insulin pen made of the Bayblend M850XF polycarbonate blend. This small device with the size and appearance of a ball-point pen makes life easier for people who suffer from diabetes, a widespread disease in modern society. They can administer the desired dose of the medicine to themselves in a simple and user-friendly manner. The plastic is particularly well suited for injection moulding of thin-walled components such as those used here.

A reliable partner to the medical technology industry

Bayer MaterialScience has been a reliable partner to the medical technology sector for more than three decades. "Our success is based not least on the trust we have built up with many well-known manufacturers, mainly in the form of exclusive development partnerships," says Berit Stange. According to Stange, that also includes taking into consideration the special needs of this industry - including primarily supply security of the products and their long-term availability in identical formulations. Bayer MaterialScience ensures both of these aspects.

All materials offered by the company for the medical technology sector satisfy the biocompatibility requirements established by the USP Class VI and ISO 10993-1 standards, and are approved for contact with bodily fluids.

The company plans to exhibit these developments at K 2013 in Düsseldorf from October 16 to 23, 2013.

Further information on Bayer MaterialScience’s participation at the trade fair (Hall 6, Stand A 75), can be found at http://www.materialscience.bayer.com/en/K-Fair/Overview.aspx.