Drivers of pharmaceutical packaging innovation: a customer-supplier relationship case study

This study explores the drivers of pharmaceutical packaging innovation. Demographic changes and rising healthcare costs pose challenges for the pharmaceutical industry. To meet these challenges, packaging innovation offers opportunities to provide patients with better solutions. Based on an in-depth case study of two companies—a global drug manufacturer and a packaging manufacturer—in a customer-supplier relationship, this study investigates five drivers of innovative packaging solutions: technology, legislation, marketing, logistics, and sustainability. This study identifies multiple stakeholders' needs regarding pharmaceutical packaging innovations. It also shows that robustness of packaging is prioritized despite a patient-centric approach. This study offers suggestions for further research. It also provides a benchmark to help future studies examine other contexts.