AptarGroup Highlights New “Beat the Blink” Technology
AptarGroup shared an overview of its portfolio of eye care solutions, including 'Beat the Blink,' a new eye care delivery system designed to improve dosing accuracy and enhance the patient experience by “beating the blink” reflex. The technology is currently part of an exclusive partnership with Bausch + Lomb, with commercial availability expected following the completion of development and industrialization, estimated at 24 to 36 months.
Beat the Blink is designed to address a common challenge in eye drop administration: the natural blink reflex and the difficulty many patients face when tilting their head back. The system delivers drops horizontally, eliminating the need to tilt the head and helping reduce targeting errors that can lead to insufficient dosing.
Key features of Beat the Blink include horizontal drop delivery, formula protection through a tip seal suitable for preservative-free formulations, and a design intended to meet regulatory and quality requirements for ophthalmic solutions. The system incorporates a child-resistant concept, a new bottle and ventilation design, and microbial safety measures, while being compatible with a wide range of eye care formulations.
Accoring to AptarGroup, as demand grows for preservative-free eye care formulations, preservative-free multidose systems (PFMD) are becoming increasingly important for topical ophthalmic applications. Whether used for prescription therapies or over-the-counter products, maintaining microbiological integrity in PFMD systems is critical. Aptar’s portfolio of ophthalmic delivery systems is designed to address these needs, offering safe, precise and user-friendly eye care delivery.
Ophthalmic Squeeze Dispenser: A Proven PFMD Solution
Aptar’s Ophthalmic Squeeze Dispenser (OSD) is a preservative-free multidose eye dropper used globally. The OSD utilizes a purely mechanical Tip-Seal technology that enables preservative-free use without additives such as silver ions or surface coatings. Aptar’s patented Tip-Seal technology has been tested through microbial challenge procedures simulating relevant in-use scenarios, although customer formulations require additional testing. To support pharmaceutical partners, Aptar provides data packages and test methods designed to assist in preparing finished product dossiers.
APF Advanced Preservative Free Systems
Aptar’s Advanced Preservative Free (APF) and APF PLUS pumps expand preservative-free dispensing across dermal, oral and eye care applications. These spray dispensing systems provide microbiological protection and stability for sensitive formulations using purely mechanical means and feature a metal-free fluid path. The APF Futurity recyclable system represents the first all-plastic, metal-free multidose nasal spray system rated as highly recyclable by cyclos-HTP.
Digital Healthcare Solutions for Eye Care
Complementing its physical delivery systems, Aptar offers a broad range of digital healthcare solutions for disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment, including patient monitoring and healthcare management. These solutions, including those for eye care, are designed to be patient-friendly, intuitive and easy to use, and can be deployed as fully integrated technologies or as extensions to existing systems.
Originally published online on Eyewire+.