Centrifuge siliconization of primary container systems

Abstract

Pre-filled syringes (PFS) have been in use in the pharmaceutical industry for over 60 years. For syringe functionality, a layer of silicone oil is often added as lubrication to promote smooth plunger stopper movement. Importantly, current technologies that generate this silicone oil layer often produce inhomogeneous layers displaying topographical features such as dimples. Additionally, the equipment that generates these layers is generally inaccessible in non-commercial settings. Here, we present a new silicone oil coating technique that addresses the shortcomings of traditional methods to generate a uniform silicone oil layer utilizing commonplace centrifuge technology. Our method creates silicone layers in PFS with improved homogeneity and tunable thickness, ranging from 400–1800 nm, by adjusting centrifuge speed and temperature.