The pharmaceutical packaging industry in the US will be worth $22.1billion by 2018.
Primary containers will account for two thirds of the business, the rest coming from closures, secondary containers, labels, and other packaging accessories, according to a study by Cleveland-based market research firm The Freedonia Group.
Plastic bottles will continue to record the largest demand among primary pharmaceutical containers, with blister packaging its chief competitor in solid oral drug applications.
As a result of growth in these areas, the market for glass pharmaceutical bottles will decrease.
Developments in asthma, COPD, and insulin therapies will see increased demand for prefillable inhalers, but the market for pharmaceutical pouches, which is tied to the unit dose packaging of transdermal, powder, and topical medicines, will show slower than average growth.