CPI joins €44.9m European collaboration to develop PFAS-free materials for healthcare

PFAS have long played an important role in pharmaceutical and medical technologies due to their durability, chemical resistance, and performance. However, growing environmental and health concerns, along with evolving regulations, are driving the search for safer alternatives that deliver the same functionality without compromising patient safety or product performance. 

To help address this challenge, CPI has joined PFAROS, a €44.9 million European collaborative research and innovation initiative to develop safer alternatives to PFAS used in pharmaceutical and medical technologies. Funded through the Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) and running over 5 years, PFAROS brings together 89 public and private sector partners from industry, academia, healthcare and regulatory bodies to develop, assess and validate alternatives to PFAS across the healthcare supply chain. 

As part of the collaboration, CPI is leading the project’s workstream focused on developing and assessing PFAS-free polymers and coatings for healthcare applications. Working alongside partners across Europe and the US, CPI will develop alternatives for a range of applications where PFAS are currently used, including bulk polymers, coatings and liquid processing systems. Potential applications include medical device components, pharmaceutical packaging, endoscopic coatings, lubrication systems, mould release agents and cleaning processes. 

The work will combine computational modelling, machine learning and high-throughput robotics with application-focused materials characterisation to rapidly develop and screen new materials. Promising candidates will progress towards pilot-scale demonstration and Technology Readiness Level 7 (TRL 7), helping bridge the gap between lab research and industrial manufacture. 

The research will follow Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) principles, ensuring environmental considerations are integrated alongside performance, manufacturability and application requirements throughout material development.

Kris Wadrop, Managing Director of Materials at CPI, said:

“Finding viable alternatives to PFAS is one of the most significant materials challenges facing society today.” 

“Many healthcare products rely on PFAS because of their unique performance characteristics, so replacing them isn’t simply a case of swapping one material for another. Any alternative must deliver the same levels of performance, reliability and safety while also being capable of being manufactured at scale. 

“PFAROS brings together expertise from across Europe to tackle that challenge collaboratively. By combining advanced materials development with modelling, automation and scale-up, we can accelerate the identification and validation of promising alternatives and generate the evidence needed to support their adoption across healthcare manufacturing.” 

Alongside developing new materials, PFAROS will create AI-enabled tools and assessment frameworks to help industry and regulators make informed decisions about replacing PFAS in healthcare applications. By bringing together expertise from across the healthcare innovation ecosystem, the project aims to accelerate the development and validation of safer, more sustainable alternatives for pharmaceutical and medical technologies.

Through the UK’s National Formulation Centre, CPI will provide advanced materials, formulation and scale-up expertise to help bridge the gap between laboratory research and real-world healthcare applications for PFAS-free innovations.

Funding acknowledgement:

This project is supported by the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking (IHI JU) under grant agreement No [101251281]. The JU receives support from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme and COCIR, EFPIA, Europa Bío, MedTech Europe, and Vaccines Europe. 

Disclaimer:

Funded by the European Union, the private members, and those contributing partners of the IHI JU. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the aforementioned parties. Neither of the aforementioned parties can be held responsible for them.