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Takeda Receives First-Ever WorldStar Awards for Sustainable and Environmentally-Friendly Medication Packaging

25. Jänner 2022
  • Wins Two WorldStar Awards in Medical and Pharmaceutical Category, Underscoring Companies Commitment to Advancing Sustainable Practices  
  • Recognized for its Bio-Polyethylene (bio-PE) Bottle Packaging Derived from Plants Based Bioethanol and a Pre-Filled Syringe (PFS) Packaging, Highlighting Leadership and Efforts to Reduce its Environmental Impact  

OSAKA, Japan, January 25, 2022 – Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK)
(“Takeda”) today announced that it has received two WorldStar awards for its bio-PE bottle as primary packaging container1 for solid drugs and its secondary packaging for a pre-filled syringe. The production of the bio-PE bottle derived from plant-based bioethanol reduces CO2 emissions by up to 70 percent and the secondary packaging is fully recyclable due to innovative design. This demonstrates Takeda’s commitment in making environmental sustainability a priority and supports its goal to become net-zero by 2040.

First to Use bio-PE Bottles in Pharmaceutical Industry

The bio-PE bottles are made from plant-based bioethanol. The bio-PE helps to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by up to 70 percent compared to oil-based polyethylene. The bioethanol is used in more than 90% of the raw materials for bio-PE bottles and has acquired the biomass-based plastics mark (BP mark)2 certification.

Takeda was the first company in the pharmaceutical industry to use bio-PE bottles for primary packaging in 2013. At present, bio-PE bottles are used in bulk package for a hypertension treatment product, an acid-related disease agent and other oral formulations. Takeda aims to expand the scope of products packaged in bulk using bio-PE bottles. Green-PE bottles have been tested for critical functionalities such as shelf-life for 36 months, moisture-permeability and shock-resistance, as well as their potential impact on the quality of tablets. 

The bio-PE bottle had already received the “Technical Packaging Award” at the Japan Packaging Contest sponsored by the Japan Packaging Institute (JPI) and the “AsiaStar Packaging Award 2021” sponsored by the Asian Packaging Federation (APF).

Pre-filled Syringe Secondary Packaging Made from 100 Percent Recyclable Materials

The packaging is designed for complete recyclability with the paperboard and inner tray following the principles of design for disassembly so it can be easily removed after end of product life. To maintain low environmental impact and minimize packaging weight in comparison to other paperboards (based on a life cycle assessment study), the pack was designed with composite material paperboard and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). It enables it to be easily recycled and its light weight and sleek design make for efficient transport, reducing the space required during the delivery process and helping further reduce carbon emissions.

The secondary packaging was already recognized by the Austrian Green Packaging Star award in 2021.

Commitment to Net-Zero by 2040

Takeda is committed to expanding its use of recyclable materials across packaging solutions to help reduce its impact on the environment and advance the industry toward a more sustainable future, which is part of its larger strategy and commitment to net-zero by 2040 throughout its value chain. For example, the company launched its Climate Action Program for the BioLife plasma collection organization, manufacturing and R&D sites in 2020. The program’s long-term goal is to eliminate all greenhouse gas emissions from our operations (scopes 1 and 2) by 2040. Emissions reduction targets were approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and in line with science-based recommendations for limiting global warming.

Learn more about Takeda’s ambitions and progress to reduce our environmental impact here.

Working with Suppliers

Most of our greenhouse gas emissions are scope 3 (supply chain emissions), which means that we have no direct control over them in the course of our business. Nevertheless, together with our suppliers we are working to lower its emissions by 50 percent by 2040. Supply chain improvements, such as the integration of delivery networks, improved loading efficiency and air-to-sea initiatives, have yielded results in the area of domestic and international transportation and storage that contribute to greenhouse gas reduction. Takeda also reports its scope 3 emissions annually and supports its suppliers to set science based targets by 2025. To accelerate the use of renewable electricity Takeda and nine other global pharmaceutical companies brought to life Energize, a program to help suppliers to implement renewable energy solutions.

  1. A packaging component that is in direct contact with pharmaceutical products.
  2. The authorized identification about Biomass-based Plastics by JBPA (Japan BioPlastics Association) aiming to disseminate them and promote the awareness.

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About Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE: 4502/NYSE: TAK) is a global, values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical leader headquartered in Japan, committed to discover and deliver life-transforming treatments, guided by our commitment to patients, our people and the planet. Takeda focuses its R&D efforts on four therapeutic areas: Oncology, Rare Genetic and Hematology, Neuroscience, and Gastroenterology (GI). We also make targeted R&D investments in Plasma-Derived Therapies and Vaccines. We are focusing on developing highly innovative medicines that contribute to making a difference in people’s lives by advancing the frontier of new treatment options and leveraging our enhanced collaborative R&D engine and capabilities to create a robust, modality-diverse pipeline. Our employees are committed to improving quality of life for patients and to working with our partners in health care in approximately 80 countries and regions. For more information, visit https://www.takeda.com.

Media Contacts

Japanese Media

Nanako Nakamura
[email protected]

Media outside of Japan

Christina Beckerman
[email protected]

Important Notice 

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