West, highlights 'system'…to expand partnerships in KOR

Increasing biopharmaceuticals…the importance of the delivery system is expanding

Collaboration from the vial packaging stage…global entry partnership strategy

West Pharmaceutical Services unveiled its Synchrony at COPHEX 2026…differentiating its comprehensive system

Given the shift of the focus of the Asian pharmaceutical industry from generics to innovative therapeutic development, the importance of drug delivery systems is growing.

West Pharmaceutical Services is expanding its partnership with Korean companies by offering delivery system strategies that consider global commercialization from the earliest stages of development.

DailyPharm met with Maha Guruswamy, Vice President of APAC Commercial at West Pharmaceutical Services, and Dong-oh Kwon, General Manager of West Pharmaceutical Services Korea, and listened to their market changes, collaboration strategies, and the new West Synchrony platform showcased at COPHEX.

​(From left) Dong-oh Kwon, General Manager of West Pharmaceutical Services Korea, and Maha Guruswamy, VP of APAC Commercialat West Pharmaceutical Services

Expansion of Biopharmaceuticals…Importance of Delivery Systems Strategies

The Asian pharmaceutical and biotech industry is undergoing a structural transformation. As companies move toward biopharmaceuticals and innovative therapies, drug delivery methods and packaging strategies are becoming core elements of product design. 

High-concentration formulations and the rise of self-administration require both delivery system stability and patient convenience.

Guruswamy stated, ​"Asian pharmaceutical companies are no longer copycats focused on generics. They are evolving into innovative drug developers," and added, "As the development of biopharmaceuticals and complex injectables increases, there is a growing demand to also consider delivery methods, regulatory compliance, and supply chain management."

This shift requires designing delivery systems during the early stages of development. 

For companies targeting global markets, regulatory process review not only the safety and efficacy of the drug but also container closure integrity, delivery accuracy, and supply chain consistency. This means that the importance of the delivery system is growing.

Guruswamy stated, "For complex biopharmaceuticals, delivery systems and container closure integrity are critical," and explained. "Changing delivery methods in the later stages of development can lead to schedule delays and additional validation requirements, making early design essential."

Amid this shift, West Pharmaceutical Services is expanding system partnership role, beyond simply supplying parts. The company strategized to comprehensively provide support in designing the delivery system, regulatory responses, and supply networks.

Guruswamy stated, "Customers not only ask for individual parts but integrated delivery solutions," and stressed that "West Pharmaceutical Services is providing support for cutting down development complexity and global commercialization through a system-level approach"

"Partnership starts at the vial packaging stage"…expansion building on existing partnerships

West Pharmaceutical Services has long-standing cooperation experience with domestic pharmaceutical and bio companies in South Korea, particularly in container closure and packaging.

Dong-oh Kwon, General Manager of West Pharmaceutical Services Korea

Kwon stated, "West collaborates with domestic pharmaceutical companies not only for pre-filled syringes but also at the vial packaging stage. We are seeing more cases where container sealing and delivery methods are designed together during the initial drug development phase."

For companies aiming to enter the global market, regulatory authorities review not only the safety and efficacy of the drug itself but also container closure integrity, delivery accuracy, and supply chain consistency during the licensing process.

Kwon stated, "As domestic pharmaceutical companies develop products with global markets in mind, there is an increasing demand to consider global standards starting from the vial stage," and added. "West is expanding into delivery system strategies based on our existing collaborative experience."

Kywon also said, "In many cases, companies do not jump straight to pre-filled syringes but start at the vial packaging stage and later expand into delivery systems, a process in which West serves as a partner."

West also highlighted its global network-based supply system. Domestic companies can ensure consistency during global commercialization by using the same packaging systems at various global production sites or through CDMOs. To support the Korean market, West operates a technical support organization and logistics hub in Seoul to accelerate response times and shorten lead times.

Kwon explained, "When domestic companies utilize overseas production or CDMOs, we can supply identical packaging systems globally. Since delivery systems are factors that influence quality and regulatory compliance, collaborating from the early stages of development ensures consistency during the global commercialization process."

Because of this, West operates a technical support organization and a logistics support system to respond to the Korean market. This structure allows the company to increase customer response speed and support shorter supply lead times through its Seoul office and logistics hubs.

Unveiled 'Synchrony' at COPHEX…A System Differentiation Strategy

At the International Pharmaceutical & Bio-Pharma Technology Exhibition (COPHEX 2026) held in early April, West unveiled its pre-filled syringe platform, 'Synchrony S1.' The company's strategy is to expand collaboration into the system level.

Synchrony S1 is a system platform in which a single supplier provides all core components of a pre-filled syringe, including the syringe barrel, plunger, and needle shield or tip cap, as an integrated unit. Rather than procuring and combining individual parts from various vendors, pharmaceutical companies choose a single, validated system.

Maha Guruswamy, Vice President of APAC Commercial at West Pharmaceutical Services

"Previously, components for pre-filled syringes were often sourced from different suppliers, requiring separate suitability validations, quality tests, and regulatory filings for each part," Guruswamy said. "Synchroni simplifies the quality validation and regulatory process by providing everything as a system unit."

A key feature of Synchrony is the inclusion of system-level validation data and regulatory support documents as a single package. This reduces the burden of additional testing during the development phase and minimizes uncertainties during global licensing. The supply chain is also structured to support everything from small-scale R&D production to full commercial manufacturing.

Guruswamy noted, "Because we provide system-level data and regulatory documents, uncertainties that might occur during the development process can be reduced," and added, "Efficiency during the process of preparing for global approval can be increased."

Regarding this, Kwon added, "Synchrony is a platform that approaches delivery as a system concept rather than simple parts. We expect it to be highly useful for domestic pharmaceutical companies aiming for the global market in terms of delivery system design and regulatory response."

Guruswamy concluded by stating that West's plan is to expand existing vial packaging-stage collaboration to the delivery system stage through its Synchrony platform.

Guruswamy added, "Delivery systems will play a vital role as Korean innovative therapies enter the global market," and that "West will expand system-level cooperation based on existing vial packaging-stage partnerships."