A new method of lyophilisation or freeze drying that uses a single, sterilisable, closed vessel to deliver lump free, fine powder product has the capability to revolutionise the production of bulk pharmaceutical powders.
With the benefits of improved operator safety, reduced equipment requirements and high quality, contaminant-free end product results, the proven, Active Freeze Drying technology, from Hosokawa Micron is making pharmaceutical manufacturers worldwide reconsider their existing tray type freeze drying methods.
The lump free, dry, flowing powder produced needs no additional crushing stage. The final product is extremely fine and uniform in particle size. It is also very often porous which facilitates dissolution for use in injections etc.
Every production step is completed within a single, sterile closed chamber. There is no dust to compromise operator safety. Nothing can enter the sealed system to contaminate the product within. Wet product is transferred from a reactor vessel, so no contamination risks associated with manual handling are introduced and aseptic operation enabled. When the vacuum is broken, on cycle completion, the finished dry powder is discharged directly into a container that has been sterilized along with the full system internals before product entered the system. There is no requirement for additional containment equipment to protect operators or product for this pack-off stage.
Hosokawa Micron’s Active Freeze Drying system is capable of drying solutions, dispersions, pastes and wet solids with successful applications including antibiotics, APIs, proteins, collagens, and electrolytes.
