The Healthcare Compliance Packaging Council (HCPC, hcpconline.org) awarded the winners of its annual Compliance Package of the Year competition at RxAdherence 2015, the organization’s annual conference on patient adherence and compliance prompting packaging issues. HCPC’s Compliance Package of the Year competition has been an annual event since 1995 and recognizes the most innovative pharmaceutical packages designed to improve patient adherence. This year’s winners are:

• 2014 HCPC Compliance Package of the Year: Astra Zeneca SEROQUEL XR® 14-Day Sample Kit for Acute Bipolar Depression from MWV
• 2014 HCPC Compliance Package of the Year First Runner Up: Eli Lilly Strattera® Physician Sample Pack from PCI
• 2014 HCPC Compliance Package of the Year Second Runner Up: Novartis® Exforge HCT® from PCI
• 2014 HCPC Compliance Package of the Year: Astra Zeneca SEROQUEL XR® 14-Day Sample Kit for Acute Bipolar Depression from MWV

The SEROQUEL XR® Bipolar Depression Titration Pack promotes patient adherence for this medication’s complex dosing regimen through the use of a custom design that integrates:

A calendared blister card that effectively educates the patient with Bipolar Disorder Depression on how to titrate to their appropriate dose of SEROQUEL XR. The blister card is labeled by day and dose on each individual pill cavity, starting with one pill of 50 mg on Day 1, two pills of 50 mg on Day 2, one pill of 200 mg on Day 3, and one pill of 300 mg on Days 4-14. Visual cues prompt medication taking and facilitate tracking.

Extended label with easy-to-read information about the medication, the disease and dosing instructions, as well as easy access to an instant savings card for SEROQUEL XR.

Impactful branding for AstraZeneca / SEROQUEL XR on the outer package’s readable, flat space

“MWV and AstraZeneca partnered to design the SEROQUEL XR package to best fit the needs of the patient dealing with Bipolar Disorder Depression,” said John Grinnell, managing director, Secondary & Adherence, MWV Healthcare. “The initiation of this medication regimen is complex, with daily doses and numbers of pills adjusting throughout the titration process. Both patients and providers needed a hands-on tool to help guide medication initiation. Packaging is the one tool that stays with the patient and the medication throughout the treatment journey, making it uniquely effective in providing titration support.”

The SEROQUEL XR package builds on MWV’s legacy of designing medication packaging that’s proven to enhance adherence. MWV takes an evidence-based approach to inform packaging design. A first-of-its-kind peer-reviewed study published in Clinical Therapeutics found that even when used alone, without additional adherence interventions, MWV’s adherence packaging demonstrated a statistically significant impact over vials, improving adherence and persistence for long-term daily medications. It’s been shown to achieve an 80% PDC with up to 37% more patients versus standard vials[i], and a 41% increase in length of therapy when combined with other adherence programs[ii].

The judges were very pleased with the SEROQUEL XR compliance prompting package stating, “This is what an adherence/compliance pack should be. The pink color scheme is initially inviting, with a patient instruction book clearly attached to the outer carton. Descriptive details on the other side of the outer carton employ bold-faced type to make it easy for patients to read warning, child-resistant, storage, and other key details. Two simple steps allow for easy pullout of the blister pack containing the tablets for acute bipolar depression. The blister is printed with numbers 1 through 14 to emphasize each particular day’s dose.” Another judge commented, “Great overall package from all angles. Clear opening instructions, larger font for easier reading and a multi-panel insert attached on back panel instead of loose, long, separate leaflet. Easy to comply.”

HCPC Compliance Package of the Year First Runner Up: Eli Lilly Strattera® Physician Sample Pack from PCI

Eli Lilly Strattera is approved for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children aged 6 and older, teens, and adults. Packaged by PCI for Eli Lilly, the Strattera Physician Sample Pack utilizes the MWV DosepakTM design in titrating patients through their drug regimen, progressing them to the target dose. The package graphics feature distinctive varied color coding for the calendarized dosing format, identifying the starting dose of 18mg and continuing for the first five days of therapy, progressing to 25mg for the following five days, 40mg for the next five, and reaching 60mg, identified on the pack as the “Target Dose”, for the remaining 30 days of the 45 day therapy contained in the pack. Other versions of the titration dosing utilize a 10 / 18 / 25 / 40mg format, 25 / 40 / 60 / 80mg depending on the weight of the patient. Each strength combination is distinguished by a unique color configuration and identifies the recommended weight guidelines for the therapy.

In further supporting patient compliance, the Strattera design includes a multi-panel label that identifies dosing instructions including tips to avoid side effects and identifying optimal daily timing for doses, along with its boxed warning and safety information. Patients are instructed to work with their physician to set goals for treatment, and prompted in the package’s calendarized dosing schedule to “begin evaluating symptoms” at Day 30. The multi-panel label also includes patient education facts regarding ADHD as well as information directing patients to a supporting website to seek further information, download and establish the goal setting progress tracker tool resource, download a discussion guide resource for patient-doctor interaction, as well as information for prescription savings for the patient. A patient information leaflet is also included for the patient in the cover panel of the Strattera Sample Pack.

One of the HCPC Compliance Package of the Year judges noted, “from a compliance/adherence perspective, this package offers impressive benefits. First, it offers graphic appeal and does a superb job of using easy-to-read type that should make it easily readable, even for seniors who might be helping to administer the capsules to children and adolescents. An easy-open carton front folds up, revealing essentially two additional panels. Treatment instructions are adhered to the top inner portion of the carton. Simple two-step opening instructions on the other inner carton panel yield access to target doses. Each blister is clearly marked with the dosage date in a folding pullout that’s easy to fold back into the primary carton. Much thought was put into the design on this pack, which functions easily for patients.”

2014 HCPC Compliance Package of the Year Second Runner Up: Novartis® Exforge HCT® from PCI

Novartis Exforge HCT (amlodipine, valsartan, hydrocholorothiazide) is indicated for the treatment of high blood pressure. Packaged by PCI for Novartis, the Exforge HCT blister package utilizes the MWV Shellpak Renew child resistant design to support patients in taking their daily medication. The package graphics highlight the calendarized format, helping support patients to follow their regimen as prescribed by their doctor. On the primary blister unit colorful graphics help to identify the starting dose, each daily dose, and reminds patients when the time to refill the prescription is approaching. The exterior packaging graphics highlight the opening instructions for the innovative push/pull child resistant feature, along with patient instructions for identifying their starting dose.

Included with the Exforge HCT package are additional adherence tools such as a patient savings card to support patients with script fills as well as suggestions for the patient to visit the website and join the Get On Track program. The website contains disease state information, co-pay assistance and healthcare tips for patients with high blood pressure including recipes and health insights. Also included with the Exforge HCT package is the prescribing information leaflet.

“The blister does a good job of delineating separate weeks through color and does a good job of including 4 weeks of therapy in one blister package extending compliance packaging to maintenance therapy which should have an impact on adherence,” one of the industry judges states.

The Compliance Package of the Year winner and the First Runner-up will be asked to designate HCPC donated scholarship funds to a university-level packaging school focused on the pharmaceutical industry.

 [ii] A Pharmacoepidemiologic Analysis of the Impact of Calendar Packaging on Adherence to Self-Administered Medications for Long-Term Use. Clinical Therapeutics. 33(5). 2011.