Anticounterfeiting

Schreiner MediPharm (Munich, Germany) offers secure and innovative labels that provide tamper protection for product packs, as well as for variable printed data like batch number or drug expiration dates. Special void effects are integrated into the label for anti-counterfeiting purposes. Thus, they prevent re-labeling of product packs as well as alteration of variable product data.

Digimarc Corp. (Beaverton, OR; DMRC) and AlpVision (Vevey, Switzerland) have formed a worldwide strategic license agreement to drive product security. Digimarc supplies digital watermarking technologies and solutions, and AlpVision offers brand protection and anti-counterfeiting solutions. The agreement enables Digimarc to benefit from AlpVision’s expertise in brand protection security solutions and enhances AlpVision's access to the U.S. market.

Covectra (Southborough, MA) announces the availability of technology solutions to support pharmaceutical companies in quickly responding to an FDA guideline issued last week, which relates to regulatory standards in developing a secure pharmaceutical supply chain.

Many products have already been protected against counterfeiting using a packaging technology unbeknownst to consumers, Roland Meylan, corporate communications manager for AlpVision SA (Vevey, Switzerland), told attendees at Pharmapack 2010 in Paris. That protection could double, as the company recently introduced an accompanying technique that could bring security down to the tablet level.

TruTag Technologies, a spinout of Cellular Bioengineering Inc., was named the 2010 North American Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Innovation of the Year by Frost & Sullivan. TruTag microtags are optically encoded microcrystals made of pure, nanoporous silica. Deemed Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS) by FDA, the TruTags are edible and can be used to authenticate medicine.

SecureTrace reports that pilot runs of an electronic drug tracking and authentication program have been successfully completed. SecureTrace is a consortium of 10 companies in the United Kingdom that are using technology to fight counterfeiting and diversion of pharmaceuticals throughout the supply chain.

Covectra (Southborough, MA) is offering a new multi-layered approach to anti-counterfeiting and diversion control to a variety of industries, including pharmaceuticals, luxury goods, automotive, electronics, and premium beverages. Covectra has made available its new smartphone technology application, Brand Loyalty and Integrity Services (BLIS). The application provides data analysis features that can be used by manufacturers and brand owners to provide increased security, monitor consumer purchase patterns, and provide brand promotional opportunities.

NanoGuardian (Skokie, IL) enters into a license agreement with Capsugel (Peapack, NJ), a division of Pfizer Inc., to provide Capsugel global access to NanoGuardian’s NanoEncryption technology for the protection of capsule-based medications against counterfeiting and illegal diversion. NanoGuardian’s NanoEncryption technology works directly on capsules, tablets, vial caps, and singleuse syringes to provide a layered security strategy consisting of overt, covert and forensic security features.

Editor's Note: While preparing January PMP News's Track and Trace column for the 5th year in a row, Nosco's Gregg Metcalf realized that the pharmaceutical industry has come full circle. His first few articles focused on anticounterfeiting, and then he shifted to track-and-trace and e-pedigree as retailers and legislators did. Given worldwide increases in counterfeiting, today's focus is again on anticounterfeiting along with serialization without pedigree. Read on for a quick recap of past events and for ideas on building your product-protection strategies for 2010.

FDA is warning consumers about counterfeit Alli reportedly sold over the Internet. Testing by manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline has revealed that the fake products contain the controlled substance sibutramine, not contain orlistat, the active ingredient in its product. FDA warns that this fake version of Alli 60 mg capsules (120 count refill kit) could be harmful if used improperly.

While the counterfeit Alli product looks similar to the authentic product, there are "a few notable differences" in its packaging, FDA reports. According to the agency, the counterfeit Alli has: