ESAN – a new approach to anti-piracy

For the pharmaceutical industry, product piracy is a serious issue that threatens both patients' health, and the profits of the companies that invest so much in developing effective medication. The more sophisticated counterfeiters become, the more important it is for manufacturers to "raise the bar ” regularly – by introducing new technologies that will foil the fraudsters' efforts (at least for a while).

Now Merck has helped to develop a new holistic security concept that will combat product piracy more effectively: ESAN. This "virtual pharmaceutical product ” uses a twin-level security strategy to make life difficult for counterfeiters. At first glance, ESAN looks like any other conventional folded box sample, complete with blisters, capsules, tablets and a package insert. Look closer, though, and you will discover that both the packaging and the contents have been security-enhanced.

The packaging features numerous hidden and forensic security features from the Merck Securalic product line. The security features are built into the ivy leaf design element printed on the folded box. Securalic products are also used for both two-coloured blisters in UV flexo printing.

The capsules are coated and dyed with Candurin, Merck's special range of mineral-based pearl effect colours. Candurin is based on a natural silicate, and meets the international quality and security standards of the pharmaceutical industry. Its unique appearance is highly attractive – and very difficult to reproduce. This combination of Candurin pearl effect colours and Securalic products plays an important role in making ESAN so secure. This new demonstration tool may be bad news for counterfeiters– but for patients and manufacturers, it is very good news indeed.

Company profile

Merck

For further information, visit: www.merck-pigments.com