Pharma manufacturing products: news in brief

in-PharmaTechnologist.com’s latest round up of products launched in the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector includes new offerings from Millipore, Sensor Products and Aspex.

Millipore expands syringe filter range

Millipore has expanded its 33mm Sterile Millex syringe filters to include 0.22µm and 0.45µm pore sizes.

The company claims it offers the fastest filters on the market with low protein-binding properties for use in sterile cell culture and clinical pharmaceutical applications.

Millipore says its 33mm range offers 20 per cent more surface area than standard 25mm devices. Its new range has a higher process volume of 200ml and a greater burst strength (150 psig), allowing for high operating pressure, according to Millipore.

There is said to be no need to use multiple filters as the design negates the risk of bursting, clogging or incomplete filtration.

Millipore also claims the Millex filters increase experimental reproducibility as the 33mm filters have a hold-up volume of less than 100µL, reducing sample loss during filtration.

In addition the low-protein-binding membrane allows for maximum recovery of soluble proteins. By preserving these additives the sterile cell culture media remains intact, ensuring reproducible downstream results.

Pressurex assists with packaging integrity

Sensor Products has launched Pressurex, its solution for packaging manufacturers trying to ensure consistent package integrity.

Pressurex is a tactile pressure-indicating sensor film that allows manufacturers to quickly determine the distribution and magnitude of force between two contacting surfaces.

By using this system manufacturers can ensure quality control for applications such as validation and calibration of sealing die pressure.

In addition it helps comply with good manufacturing practices (GMP) by revealing weak spots, channels and wrinkles at the sealing surface.

Through technology such as Pressurex Sensor Products has gained clients including Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline and Baxter.

Aspex launches contamination detection system

Aspex has released the Rx microanalysis solution, an all-in-one system for the detection and characterization of contaminants in pharmaceuticals.

The system has been developed with input from major pharmaceutical companies and allows for particle size analysis to be conducted on the production floor.

The Rx is capable of identifying harmful particles as small as 30nm and is fully compliant with GMP.

Dr Marie Vicens, application specialist at Aspex, said: "Consistent quality control is critical to the safe and successful globalisation of drug production, as well as developing and implementing new analytical methodologies to support emerging 'Quality by Design' initiatives.

"Unlike traditional monitoring processes that rely on laser, video, or X-ray techniques, the Rx offers increased reliability and precision by integrating a scanning electron microscope (SEM) with an energy-dispersive spectrometer (EDS) and offering a comprehensive microanalysis solution."