Product development by Ambi Pack: client case Gikavi

Client case Gikavi: from product development to final product

November 14, 2022

Daily support after surgery; in people whose stomach, oesophagus or pancreas has been (partially) removed, the digestive tract changes dramatically. Deficiencies in important vitamins and minerals may develop. Our client, Gikavi, is committed to improving the quality of life for this target group. The start-up was approached by medical professionals asking to develop products to prevent vitamin deficiencies. Ambi Pack was brought in by Gikavi early in that process. We now develop and produce products in close collaboration.

Dedication to the project

Sjoerd van Berkel, co-founder of Gikavi, explains the choice for the collaboration: “At Ambi Pack, I noticed a very entrepreneurial attitude while collaborating on this project. It was clear that they believe that a beautiful product can come out of this. A first collaboration takes time and relationship building, and they did it. The people at Ambi Pack really invested in our partnership. This was, for example, also evident during an on-site tour we were given.”

From development to final product

Many steps precede the development of a final product. Think of e.g. the composition of the active ingredients, desired dosage form, packaging, package inserts and other details. “Ambi Pack has extensive experience making capsules, blisters, folding boxes and sachets (in which they really excel, by the way). You just know: these people know what they are doing. There is no doubt about that. Timelines were also clearly communicated in advance.”

Products tailored to the consumer

We started with samples of three dosage forms. The choice of dosage forms is not made lightly. It is important to tailor this to the targeted consumer. For example, some of Gikavi’s target population has difficulty swallowing as a result of their surgery. That is why it is so important to think critically about what works for these patients. “The nice thing about working with Ambi Pack is that one of these samples was an idea that they came up with themselves: a powder that can be ingested without water. That shows they are proactively thinking about our targeted consumer.”

Smart choices in the development process

During sample development, it is important to make smart choices. The dosage of the products is tailored to the type of surgery the patient has had. Gikavi told us that people with gastric resection have, for example, trouble absorbing vitamins and minerals. This type of product has a higher dosage and is naturally more difficult to produce. We then decided to focus on the most difficult product. If that succeeds, so will the others. In a team of people with both technical and commercial expertise, we thought about such practicalities together.

“Cannot” is not in the vocabulary

We developed Gikavi’s products during the height of the coronavirus pandemic. This led to some unique challenges in the supply chain and the sourcing of ingredients. We had to, therefore, consider alternatives. The availability of a particular raw material can affect the further development of the final product. For example, if a particular raw material cannot be supplied, we will look for a solution together. “Ambi Pack has always been proactive in dealing with this situation by coming up with an alternative. There was always a plan B. Some things would take a little longer than expected, but that was understandable. They never said, ‘it cannot be done.’ They said, ‘here’s the solution we came up with.’”

The product on the market and in clinical studies

The product has since been brought to market. At Ambi Pack, we are proud of this outcome. “Ambi Pack delivered the products on time. Soon after, they became available to our customers and went to our research partner. Since then, we have not only welcomed the first customers, but we have also included a good number of patients in the study. We are receiving enthusiastic feedback about the products.”

Want to find out more about what we can do for you?

Are you interested in more information about product development by Ambi Pack? Please contact our salesteam via verkoop@ambipack.nl for a no-obligation introduction.