ApiJect Systems
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Medical technology |
| Founded | 2018 |
| Founder | Marc Koska |
| Headquarters | Stamford, Connecticut , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Marc Koska (Founder and CEO) |
| Products | Single-use, prefilled plastic injectors |
ApiJect Systems Corporation is a U.S.-based medical technology firm established in 2018 by Marc Koska and headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut. The company focuses on manufacturing single-use, prefilled plastic injectors. ApiJect partners with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to package their injectable medications into single-dose prefilled devices. It has emerged as a significant contributor to the large-scale production of prefilled syringes for COVID-19 vaccine distribution, asserting its ability to facilitate mass vaccination efforts by late 2020.
History
Founded in 2018 by Marc Koska, the inventor of the ApiJect injector, ApiJect Systems developed a cost-effective, prefilled, disposable plastic injector intended to enhance access to medicines in low-income regions. Koska is also known for inventing the self-locking K1 syringe, which was designed to eliminate needle reuse.
In response to increased U.S. demand for COVID-19 vaccinations in 2020, ApiJect shifted its focus accordingly. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services together with the Department of Defense entered into a $138 million agreement with ApiJect under Project Jumpstart. This contract aimed to manufacture 100 million prefilled syringes by the end of 2020, with plans to scale up to 500 million units in 2021, contingent upon vaccine availability.
By November 2020, ApiJect obtained a $590 million loan from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation to develop a multi-site manufacturing campus. Construction began in February 2021 in Durham, North Carolina, marking one of that month’s largest industrial projects nationwide. The facility is designed to produce between 2 and 3 billion units annually and accommodate vaccines requiring both standard refrigeration and ultra-cold storage down to -70°C.
As of April 2021, the company had yet to manufacture syringes directly but met contractual commitments through collaboration with a subcontractor awaiting FDA approval. The CEO emphasized that ApiJect’s role was intended as a contingency supplier rather than the primary manufacturer. A White House report from June 2021 revealed intentions to increase Project Jumpstart funding to $250 million per month through 2023.
In December 2021, ApiJect signed a licensing deal with Fareva to establish three Blow-Fill-Seal production lines based in France.
April 2022 marked the inauguration of the ApiJect Technology Development Center in Florida. Supported by U.S. government funding, this center focuses on research and development of prefilled injector technologies in partnership with pharmaceutical companies.
In May 2022, ApiJect secured $111 million in financing from Royalty Pharma and Jefferies Financial Group, placing the company's valuation at around $300 million.
Product
ApiJect’s prefilled injector is manufactured using Blow-Fill-Seal (BFS) technology, an advanced aseptic liquid packaging method. The device is completed by affixing a pen needle-style hub onto the BFS container. This process utilizes pharmaceutical-grade plastic resin to simultaneously form, fill, and seal strips containing between 12 and 25 drug containers on each production line every three seconds, facilitating efficient large-scale and cost-effective manufacturing.