28 Launch of 11mm Twin-Screw Extruder for Pharmaceutical Research
Thermo Fisher Scientific have launched the Thermo Scientific Pharma 11, a new version of its parallel co-rating twin-screw extruder designed specifically for pharmaceutical research. The 11mm extruder is easy to use and designed to be fully scalable, minimise material costs and optimise laboratory space. To achieve this, the Pharma 11 extruder features a user-friendly touchscreen and simple washing options. The instrument’s screw and barrel designs are geometrically scalable and the benchtop device uses a minimal amount of sample material (20 g).
“Our customers in pharmaceutical research are facing several challenges that the Pharma 11 extruder addresses head on,” said Karl Gerhard Hoppmann, Vice President and General Manager of Thermo Fisher’s material characterisation business. “The instrument uses small quantities of sample material, solving for the limited availability of active ingredients in this research setting. The Pharma 11 extruder also offers a compact, robust design that saves space while at the same time providing full scalability with the entire line of Thermo Scientific compounding systems.”
The new Pharma 11 extruder offers easy cleaning and validation—all material contact parts are easily removable—as well as an intuitive touchscreen with integrated feeder control. The instrument features a throughput of 20 g/h to 2.5 kg/h and is easily convertible from hot melt extrusion (HME) to twin screw granulation (TSG) applications. The Pharma 11 extruder is ideal for a wide range of drug development applications including drug delivery systems, implants, tablets and granules. The GMP-compliant device is also suitable for clinical trials, and the compact design makes it ideal for glove box applications. The Pharma 11 extruder is available immediately. Thermo Fisher, one of the pioneers in rheology, successfully supports a wide range of industries with its comprehensive Thermo Scientific material characterisation solutions. Material characterisation solutions analyse and measure viscosity, elasticity, processability and temperature-related mechanical changes of plastics, food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and coatings, chemical or petrochemical products, plus a wide variety of liquids or solids.
LAB PRODUCTS MORE INFO. 602
Temperature Stage Used to Understand Protein Crystallisation Growth
Researchers at the Institute for Particle Science and Engineering within the University of Leeds focus on projects that address the engineering science of particulate processes and products. Currently, Research Fellow, Dr Jingjing Liu is using a Linkam LTS350 hot-stage system in her experiments to study how protein crystallisation is affected by growing the crystals in a larger quantity, and by changing the cooling rate. Traditional methods for growing protein crystals are by micro plate sitting-drop crystallisation, or by hanging-drop methods based on vapour diffusion. These methods yield a limited number of crystals but in biological research this is usually enough. Each of the stages within the LTS range are well-suited to studying protein crystallisation. These versatile heating and freezing stages consist of a large area temperature controlled element with a platinum temperature sensor embedded close to the surface for accurate measurements. The LTS stage has the facility to heat sufficient amounts of liquid within a crucible, which comes with a lid to prevent evaporation. The LTS350 system has now been replaced by the LTS420 which has the same features but has an expanded temperature range of -196°-420°C.
Dr Liu is using HEW lysozyme (Hen Egg-White lysozyme) and is trying to observe the behaviour of protein crystals within a population. To grow a population she uses a quartz crucible to crystallise them inside the LTS350 hot-stage. The number of crystals is proportional to the amount of liquid used within the crucible. The relatively large capacity of the quartz crucible is a distinct benefit in this research as Dr Liu can grow the HEW lysozyme crystals in a useful quantity. In addition the whole process of protein crystallisation can be recorded by a video/camera system. She can also run experiments for over twelve hours, other systems prohibit such long experiments as the liquid can evaporate in the crucible. Protein crystals have shown significant benefits in the delivery of biopharmaceuticals but the majority are not yet marketed in this way. Historically the work in this field is, Dr Liu said: "focussed on investigations on crystal growth looking at the molecular and single crystal scales." She noted that this differs from her research as: "my research is focussed on understanding the growth behaviour of the population of crystals which is clearly important to mass crystal growth."
MICROSCOPY MORE INFO. 603
New Range of Certified Reference Materials Launched
LGC Standards has launched the LoGiCal range of certified reference materials. Manufactured and certified to ISO Guide 34, using ISO 17025 accredited processes in LGC’s own laboratories, the new range offers scientists a choice of natural and deuterium labelled compounds, each supplied with a detailed Certificate of Analysis.
Spectrometers Land Safely on Mars
Three Ocean Optics instruments have completed their eight month journey to Mars to study soil composition as part of the ChemCam mission. NASA’s Mars Science Lab rover, Curiosity, was launched last November carrying customised Ocean Optics HR2000 spectrometers.
The Curiosity Rover has the most advanced scientific instrumentation ever used to study the surface of Mars, and weighing in at 1 tonne, has the heaviest payload. The 7 minute descent through Mars’ atmosphere relied on a complex landing sequence never before attempted. To withstand the rigors of space travel and descent, the on-board Ocean Optics spectrometers were modified to handle extreme temperature ranges, radiation, shock and vibration.
After 14 tense minutes of waiting (the amount of time it takes for a signal to reach NASA’s mission control from Mars), NASA was able to confirm that Curiosity survived the descent intact. Shortly after, it beamed back the first pictures from the surface of the Gale Crater where it landed. Now, the work begins for the Ocean Optics spectrometers as the rover journeys to Mount Sharp, a 3 mile high mountain inside the crater, collecting data as it goes.
The three modular HR2000 high-resolution miniature fibre optic spectrometers
will study Martian rock and soil composition using Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS). Each ChemCam spectrometer is configured to detect elemental signatures over a different wavelength of light: 240-336nm, 380-470nm, and 470-850nm. The use of the three spectrometers simplifies the design and creates redundancy, as many elements under study have spectral lines in more than one of the spectral ranges covered by the three units.
Ocean Optics equipment has been used by NASA researchers for missions both on Earth and in space. A custom Ocean Optics spectrometer named ALICE was instrumental in detecting the presence of water ice on the moon during the LCROSS mission. The company’s modular Jaz spectrometer scaled Mt. Everest with a team that included NASA astronaut Scott Parazynski to measure solar irradiance at extreme altitude.
SPECTROSCOPY MORE INFO. 605
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LoGiCal certified reference materials fully satisfy national and international labelling and other requirements for transportation, health and safety. The range will focus on the forensic and clinical sectors. Initially providing laboratories with access to over 800 of the most widely used standard reference materials, the new product range will comprise drugs of abuse and prescription drugs in standard solutions and powder format, with stocks maintained locally at LGC Standards international offices to help eliminate delays due to the complex, lengthy import procedures associated with the procurement of controlled substances.
David Richardson, CEO of LGC, said: “LGC Standards has used many years of experience and their industry expertise to manufacture exactly what our customers require. The new LoGiCal product range is unique to LGC Standards, and will be an asset to laboratories relying on high quality certified reference materials.”
To learn more about the LoGiCal product range, visit
www.LoGiCal-Standards.com
LAB PRODUCTS MORE INFO. 604
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