Use a magnifying film on pharma package labels, proposes Pennsylvania inventor

For regulatory as well as marketing reasons, pharma manufacturers tend to pack an excessive amount of information onto the labels attached to pill bottles, package cartons and other containers. This creates problems for patients, especially the elderly, who will either grab a magnifying lens to attempt to read the label, or give up on the label content altogether. To address these concerns, Jim Rittenburg, founder of IC Optix (Perkasie, PA) has developed a transparent, thin-film technology that magnifies underlying text. The technology is recently patented (US Patent No. 8947794 B2) and is being shopped around both pharma and OTC manufacturers, as well as contract packagers.

According to Rittenburg, who has had a career in authentication technologies for labels in healthcare products and consumer goods, the flexible, transparent film provides magnification by using an optical technology known as the Fresnel lens. The 50-75-micron film can be attached directly to the label, or to another location on the package from which it can be peeled and applied elsewhere on the package. As the film is lifted from the underlying label, the label is magnifies 2-3X (more is possible). In the process of molding the film, a visible watermark-like feature can be added to provide an authentication element to the package.

Rittenburg says that commercial-scale production is possible with one of IC-Optix’ partners, and discussions are ongoing with brand owners and packagers. A sampling program is expected to occur with a potential client by year-end. One promising potential application is use with prefilled syringes, some of which are already distributed with several patient-friendly convenience elements.