Strengthening U.S. pharmaceutical supply: SCHOTT Pharma inaugurates expanded vial production in Lebanon, PA

EVERIC® pure specialty vials feature high chemical durability, a homogeneous inner surface, and tight dimensional tolerances to ensure safe containment of complex modalities. (Image: SCHOTT Pharma/Nils Hendrik Müller)

Madison Colaco (South Region Field Director at Congressman Meuser’s Office), John Schlegel (Pennsylvania State Representative), Hakan Gerdan (Plant Manager, SCHOTT Pharma USA), Logan Hoover (South Central PA Regional Manager to Senator McCormick), Christopher Cassidy (President of SCHOTT Pharma USA), Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Dr. Gary Disbrow (Deputy Assistant Secretary and Director of BARDA), Rick Siger (Secretary, PA Department of Community and Economic Development), and Lebanon County Commissioners Jo Ellen Litz and Michael Kuhn. (Image: SCHOTT Pharma)

SCHOTT Pharma’s core vials are critical primary packaging for vaccines and other life-saving drugs. (Image: SCHOTT Pharma/Oana Szekely)

– SCHOTT Pharma inaugurates new capacity for core and specialty vials at its site in Lebanon, PA, supporting future growth in the region.
– Over 60 million USD investment supported by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) strengthens the U.S. domestic medical supply chain and enables rapid response in case of public health emergencies.
– The state-of-the-art equipment sets new quality and automation standards for high-value solutions (HVS) in the U.S.

SCHOTT Pharma, a pioneer in drug containment solutions and delivery systems, has inaugurated new production lines for both standard and sterile ready-to-use (RTU) glass vials designed to store a wide range of drugs – from biologics and other complex injectable therapies to vaccines and emergency room medications. The new capabilities feature state-of-the-art technology for efficient manufacturing and optimized output. The over 60 million USD investment was largely funded by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to strengthen the resilience of the U.S. pharmaceutical supply chain and ensure reliable domestic production of critical primary packaging. The expansion significantly increases the site’s annual production capacity for core vials, while more than tripling local capacity for high-value solutions.

“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”, says Christian Mias, CEO of SCHOTT Pharma.

Pushing high-value solutions in the U.S.

In addition to installing a significant number of new high-end converting lines for core borosilicate glass vials, the expansion in Lebanon included major infrastructure modernization, line upgrades, and new state-of-the-art technology to increase the capacity for high-value solutions. These include the RTU vial platform adaptiQ® 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 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,“ says Christopher Cassidy, President SCHOTT Pharma USA.

The Lebanon, PA site is one of only two SCHOTT Pharma locations worldwide capable of manufacturing EVERIC® pure vials, which feature high chemical durability, a homogeneous inner surface, and tight dimensional tolerances to ensure high drug stability throughout its shelf life. It is also the only SCHOTT Pharma site producing adaptiQ® pre‑washed, pre‑sterilized RTU vials, supplying these high performance containers across the U.S. and globally.

Addressing key pharma trends

Specialty vials, which are part of SCHOTT Pharma’s high-value solutions portfolio, play a critical role in storing a wide range of sensitive medications. These include sensitive biologics and biosimilars, emergency medications, and vaccines. The vials are also used for innovative drugs or therapies that require lyophilization to remain stable – such as antibody-drug-conjugates (ADCs) for targeted cancer treatments.

In RTU configuration, SCHOTT Pharma’s vials also support the industry’s manufacturing shift toward ready-to-use primary packaging. This approach enables faster, more flexible, and more efficient drug filling for pharmaceutical companies and contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs), while simultaneously enhancing drug safety and simplifying regulatory compliance.

Work reported in this press release was supported by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) as part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) under award number IDSEP230073.

The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of HHS or ASPR.