Print specialist Eidos tests authentication approach for pharma

Italian printing technology specialist Eidos is planning a foray into the anti-counterfeiting arena with an authentication system that uses a proprietary thermal transfer printing system suitable for use not only on plastics but also porous materials such as carton.

Eidos has developed prototypes of two systems based on the printing technology: one relies on the use of photosensitive pigments that are incorporated into the ink ribbon and applied to the product during a usual print run, and the other involves printing a hidden code within the product label.

Dino Giacomelli, Eidos' export sales manager, told SecuringPharma.com that prototypes of the technology are already being reviewed by potential customers.

The firm has sent a number of evaluation kits - comprising various printed samples and a laser device to activate the photosensitive ink - to its distributors around the world, and these in turn are gauging the response of customers in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and the clothing industries, amongst others.

"We believe that pharmaceuticals and cosmetic will be the best applications for this technology," said Giacomelli.

The thermal transfer process is suitable for plastic materials and cartons, as well as certain other materials such as leather, he said, although that it is not suitable for printing on metal and glass where the application heat is too readily dissipated.

Thermal transfer is generally not a suitable process for printing on cartons and other surfaces with hard, irregular or porous surfaces. However, Eidos' Coditherm technology has solved that problem via a two-step process in which a mirror image is produced on the ink ribbon by the thermal print head, excess ink is removed and the resulting image is transferred to a second, receiving ribbon. This ribbon then applies the print to the final object by means of a heated roller or pad.

"With conventional thermal transfer, heat and pressure is applied to melt the image directly onto the object, and for some materials this simply does not work," said Giacomelli.

Eidos' process is completely proprietary, which means that there is only one supplier for the ink ribbons and much less chance that a counterfeiter could acquire the technology, he said.

The Coditherm printing technology has already found applications in the pharmaceutical sector because of its versatility.

"Pharmaceutical manufacturers like it because it is clean - no ink or need to dry with UV lamps - and requires very little maintenance," he said. "It can be used to print directly onto medical bags such as those used for blood bags and other similar applications."

Eidos is also looking at the possibility of combining this authentication technology with radiofrequency identification (RFID) on its labels.