LOTTE Chemical Supplies Medical Polypropylene for Syringes Used in COVID-19 Vaccines

BASF's Irgastab® Product Supplies High-Clarity Medical Polypropylene for Syringes Used in LOTTE Chemical's COVID-19 Vaccines Korean chemicals company LOTTE Chemical produced polypropylene (PP) for medical applications using BASF's Irgastab®, a non-discoloring processing stabilizer. With COVID-19 vaccines becoming available globally, demand for syringes made from PP increased exponentially. LOTTE Chemical's medical PP was applied to LDS (low dead space) syringes developed by a medical syringe manufacturer in South Korea. These specialized products are designed to minimize the amount of drug remaining in the device after injection, reducing vaccine waste. As a result, LDS syringes are seeing strong global demand, as they are estimated to enable 20% more people to receive a dose with the same amount of vaccine. Hermann Althoff, Senior Vice President of BASF Performance Chemicals Asia Pacific, said: "Plastics used in medical applications require sterilization. This causes polymer degradation and discoloration. Irgastab serves to ensure medical PP remains safe and fit for use. It provides processing stability without discoloration in polypropylene during compounding and injection molding—which is vital for LDS syringes since materials must be certified for high clarity." Given the expected surge in syringe demand for COVID-19 vaccination, LOTTE Chemical is developing specialized polypropylene materials, including high-clarity PP, to ensure strict production quality control of medical materials and meet rising demand.