Berry Global has created a new global healthcare packaging and device division, with an emphasis on developing patient-friendly drug-delivery devices. The goal is to create a “better healthcare experience that is very patient centric,” Jean Marc Galvez, president of the new global healthcare unit, told MD+DI.

Berry’s total global healthcare business has grown from $500 million in 2015 to more than $1 billion today, according to the company. New investments include ISO Class 7 to Class 8 cleanrooms for manufacturing medical device and drug-delivery solutions. The company is also advancing its drug-delivery design and production efforts and adding digitalization capabilities to promote patient safety and drug adherence, it reported.

“We treat patients like people,” explained Galvez, pointing out increased healthcare needs given aging populations around the world. New solutions include new eye dropper technology with a unique nozzle that dispenses uniform drops “of the same size and weight” to ensure the right dosage, he said. The solution has been recognized with an award during CPHI China.

Berry is also “going digital and launching dry-powder inhaler technology that includes sensors and digital capabilities that enable connection to apps and the cloud,” he added. “Five hundred million patients are impacted by COPD and asthma, so our focus is on making an impact with those patients in mind.”

Describing Berry as a leader in the global inhaler market, Galvez explained the company’s newest solution is RS01X, an AI-enabled inhaler that can connect through Bluetooth to the Respiro app developed by Amiko to provide reminders, personalized insights, and inhaler technique tips. Patients can share their data with healthcare providers, in person and digitally, to enable collaborative and data-driven treatment adjustments, the company shared on its web site. Launched in December, RS01X aims for “better healthcare for patient engagement and adherence,” says Galvez.

Also, already a provider of child-resistant closures, Berry is now “offering new adult-friendly child-resistant packaging with tactile features.”

Last year the company helped address healthcare needs because of COVID-19, investing more than $50 million, said Galvez. “When COVID-19 hit, we pivoted our global capabilities to come up with new products, such as developing nonwoven materials that can be used for surgical drapes and gowns,” he said. “I thank the 45,000 employees at Berry who worked hard to create value for the healthcare industry.”

Berry currently has more than 15 healthcare-focused sites in the United States, European Union, China, and India. “We are investing in globalizing technology, including cleanrooms,” Galvez said. “We have a full pipeline of investments, and we are in the process of doubling capacity in India and building a new site in Shanghai.”