ASPR celebrates construction of new research and development facility for production of prefilled injectors

The U.S. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) celebrated the completion of the initial design and construction last week for a new ApiJect Technology Development Center that promises greater manufacturing capacity for prefilled injectors used to administer vaccines and other medicines.

Co-funded by ASPR, the facility, based in Orlando, Fla., is focused on research and development. ApiJect intends to use it to collaborate with pharmaceutical companies to design, engineer, and rest on how to fill-finish injectable pharmaceutical products. The company will produce single-dose prefilled injectors made using its platform.

“Strengthening our nation’s health supply chain and expanding domestic manufacturing capacity are key priorities for ASPR,” Dawn O’Connell, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, said. “We are pleased to support ApiJect’s efforts to develop new and innovative approaches to how injectable vaccines and medicines are filled, finished, and delivered so that the nation is prepared for future pandemics and health emergencies.”

The ASPR invested $9.6 million into developing the prefilled injector technology and its facilities at large. ApiJect’s new facility will offer space for that technology’s design, engineering, testing, blow-fill-seal mold development, and small-scale manufacturing of injectors and related devices. Feasibility testing, device use testing, and other functions that guide commercial development will also be conducted there.