Equipment and Materials

Leak-testing and packaging specialist Sepha (Belfast) is launching a leak tester for container closure integrity testing (CCIT) applications that can detect leaks as small as 1 µm. Known as the Multi-Q HD, the device supports the non-destructive detection of defects in pharmaceutical containers including parenteral packaging formats, which have experienced growth during the pandemic, thanks…

Industrial equipment provider Ingersoll Rand (NYSE: IR) has launched its MSG Turbo-Air NX5000 centrifugal compressor. The company says the compressor provides industry-leading efficiency at a relatively low cost of ownership and that it offers 5% better energy efficiency than legacy systems. The compressed air system is rated for powers from 600 to 4,200 kW (800–5,650…

Here’s how self-service analytics increases process engineers’ control over vaccine production and quality. This scientific, engineering and logistical achievement that is the COVID-19 vaccine is a feat unparalleled. It’s the perfect example of human ingenuity and how modern advancements can make a difference. A lot of credit, however, has to go to the rise of…

The pharmaceutical industry is warming to the concept of smart manufacturing — and predictive maintenance in particular. The reason for that trend is partly financial. A single hour of downtime can potentially cost millions of dollars in lost productivity, and predictive maintenance promises to make maintenance more efficient and effective. One traditional barrier to predictive…

After the number of COVID-19 infections began to incline steeply, India has decided to retain most of the vaccines produced in the country. The country has also announced plans to lower the eligibility requirements to all citizens 45 or older starting April 1. The Serum Institute of India is one of the world’s biggest vaccine…

The pharma industry has been relatively slow to embrace concepts such as Industry 4.0, but COVID-19 is serving as a catalyst for sweeping changes within the industry. The philosophy has roots in a German framework that prioritizes digitization to drive manufacturing efficiency, promising that cyber-physical systems will usher in the next industrial revolution. The Industry…

Honeywell (NYSE:HON) announced today that it will buy Sparta Systems (Hamilton, N.J.) and its medtech and pharma quality management software for $1.3 billion. Officials at Honeywell and Sparta Systems’ present owner New Mountain Capital expect the all-cash deal to close by the end of Q1 2021, pending certain regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. The…

Some pharma companies spend millions of dollars on advanced analytics, business intelligence platforms and cloud storage and end up with little to show for it.   The uncertain financial climate should provide an opportunity for pharma companies to reevaluate how they market their products using business intelligence platforms and advanced analytics.  The pharmaceutical sector has traditionally…

Juganu, an Israeli startup, has developed a smart indoor light technology to fight against COVID-19. The company’s J. Protect technology offers the potential to protect pharmaceutical professionals in laboratories and other settings against the novel coronavirus and other pathogens. The company has recently begun several pilot programs with leading health institutions after clinically validating its…

The increasing complexity of drugs — including vaccines, biologics, sterile injectables and cell therapies — brings pharmaceutical companies significant manufacturing challenges during the pandemic. In turn, this complexity drives supply chain disruptions and changes to business and operational processes to accommodate social distancing, remote working and quarantining. Some pharmaceutical manufacturers have prioritized the manufacture of…