Nemera chooses Bormed™ PP for safe, scalable pen injector used in chronic care treatments

The Background

Nemera is a global leader in the design, development, and manufacturing of drug delivery devices. In 2018, the company set out to develop a new disposable pen injector platform for medicines such as those used to treat diabetes. The aim was to create a versatile, multi-dose device suitable for a wide range of therapies and simple enough for patients to use on their own.

The new platform had to meet two essential criteria: It had to be suitable for high-volume production and have a low carbon footprint.

The initial design included components made from polyoxymethylene (POM) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). These materials are common in medical devices but raised specific concerns in this case. POM, in particular, can release small amounts of formaldehyde during production.

Nemera was looking for a better alternative. At the same time, the material still had to match the mechanical performance and meet the regulatory standards of conventional resins.

Reducing the device’s carbon footprint was a key priority, especially given the high production volumes. Finally, the material needed to be cost-effective to keep the overall device competitive.

Nemera identified Borealis as the right partner for this project, thanks to its strong reputation in healthcare-grade polyolefins through its dedicated Bormed™ portfolio, as well as its reliable supply, technical support, and sustainability expertise.

Working together, the teams selected two polypropylene (PP) grades that would meet all the key requirements for performance, safety, and sustainability:

• Bormed™ HG820MO, chosen for its high stiffness, making it ideal for structural components like the housing and cap
• Bormed™ RF825MO, selected for its optical clarity, which was important for the cartridge holder.

These grades supported efficient, high-volume production and helped reduce the carbon footprint of the device by around 20% compared to the earlier POM/ABS version. Borealis supported the transition by providing rapid access to samples, expert guidance during material selection, and full resin life cycle assessment (LCA) data to validate the environmental benefits.

The switch to Bormed resins helped Nemera meet its safety and environmental targets without compromising on performance or production efficiency. The optical properties of Bormed™ RF825MO also made it possible to introduce color-coded push buttons—an important feature that helps patients quickly distinguish between different drugs and applications.

The new pen injector platform is now commercialized and in use by patients, with no reported complaints and positive feedback to date. Following the success of this project, Borealis materials are being evaluated for other Nemera platforms, laying the foundation for a long-term collaboration built on a shared commitment to innovation and sustainability.

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Come see the injector pen sample at K Fair, October 8-15, 2025, and discover how Bormed is shaping the future of chronic care treatments.

Borealis Healthcare: Because we care
As a leading supplier of advanced polyolefins for medical and diagnostic devices and pharmaceutical packaging, Borealis has been a reliable and trusted partner to the industry for over 25 years. The cornerstone of Borealis Healthcare is the Bormed™ Concept, founded on the principles of service, commitment and conformance, with unrivalled regulatory and technical support provided to material engineers to enable innovation. Medical polyolefins in the Bormed™ grade portfolio offer superior technical performance, fulfilling the most stringent requirements in terms of safety and quality. As a global supplier, Borealis can ensure long-term supply security. As a circular economy pioneer, Borealis offers material solutions from its ISCC Plus certified Bornewables™ and Borcycle™ C grade portfolios to deliver the same high material performance as virgin grades, but with a reduced carbon footprint. Enabling our customers to achieve their own sustainability targets is central to our EverMinds™ approach to promoting and accelerating plastics circularity.