Toyochem Co., Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Toyo Ink Group, announced today that it has launched the Oribain® EXK14-346 series of water-based acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) for use in medical applications, in particular for affixing transdermal adhesive systems—i.e. heat wraps and medicated patches—to the skin surface. There is a significant need for skin-safe and effective adhesives in the medical and healthcare field.
The adhesive layer of a transdermal adhesive system (see Figure 1) is essentially comprised of an active substance (drug or medication), a water-absorbing polymer and other excipients combined with an adhesion-imparting material (PSA emulsion). This composition not only affixes the drug-in-adhesive to the skin surface, but also functions as a delivery system for the release of the active substance to the skin in controlled dosages.
The Oribain EXK14-346 is extremely skin-friendly and compatible with a wide variety of drugs, thus making it ideal for use as the adhesion-imparting material in transdermal drug delivery systems. In addition, by leveraging the Toyo Ink Group's polymerization and dispersion technologies, Toyochem was able to formulate a PSA emulsion that exhibits excellent reliability and low residual monomer-content.
Moreover, the Oribain EXX14-346 is the first water-based acrylic PSA that conforms to the Japanese Pharmaceutical Excipients as regulated by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, thus clearing quality standards for required physical properties.
"Toyochem has positioned the medical and healthcare field as an important business domain for our future growth," said Satoru Takashima, president of Toyochem. "Our Oribain lineup already includes PSAs that are extremely safe to use, such as heat wraps and surgical tapes. We are now working to develop new products for this growing field. Building on this new development, we plan to expand our polymer chemicals-based product lineup for the healthcare and medical field, both in Japan and abroad."
In 1961, the Toyo Ink Group entered the adhesives business and, the following year, developed and launched the Oribain line of industrial pressure-sensitive adhesives. Today, the Toyochem is one of the world's leading manufacturers of industrial adhesives with a comprehensive lineup of products based on acrylic, rubber, polyurethane and polyester. The Oribain series has expanded to a wide range of industrial fields, including self-adhesive labels for building exteriors, automobiles, home appliances, electronics and optical films among other applications.
Presently, Oribain PSAs for the medical applications are developed and marketed not only in Japan but also in China by Shanghai Toyo Ink Mfg., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Toyo Ink Group.
www.toyo-chem.com