Apr 22 2010
At INTERPHEX 2010 (April 20-22, NYC), Microfluidics International Corporation (OTCBB: MFLU), the gold standard in pharmaceutical nanomaterials processing, will introduce Microfluidics Reaction Technology (MRT) as a cutting-edge platform for continuous pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Combining a unique high shear fluid processor with expert process development, MRT is a revolutionary technology for bottom-up nanoparticle creation:
- Continuous crystallization for production of highly crystalline drug nanoparticles
- Multiphase chemical reactions
- Nanoencapsulation of actives
- Process intensification
MRT enables companies to transform their manufacturing processes from batch to continuous in order to drastically reduce the time and cost of commercial drug production. By creating nanoparticles bottom-up and controlling their growth, MRT allows research teams to create stable and consistent nanoemulsions, for example, at previously unattainable sizes and narrow distributions (e.g. Azithromycin with a z-average particle size of 82 nm).
Microfluidics will describe the technology in greater detail at its press conference on Wednesday, April 21, 8:30 AM, at INTERPHEX 2010, Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. POWREX Corporation, the exclusive distributor of Microfluidics technology in Japan, will also speak at the press event on bringing MRT to Asia.
"According to an independent 2010 survey that we commissioned, 80 percent of pharmaceutical companies plan to invest in continuous crystallization technology," said Michael C. Ferrara, President and CEO of Microfluidics. "MRT is the technology they are seeking. It has the potential to revolutionize pharmaceutical production by serving as a scalable platform for continuous manufacturing and by enabling pharma companies to make purer, more consistent drugs faster with improved stability and bioavailability."
The technology has immediate value in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and energy industries. Some of the applications ideal for MRT include more effective and tailored drugs, more efficient catalysts for fuel cells, and nanomaterials for batteries, photovoltaics and supercapacitors.
"MRT allows companies to improve bioavailability, target delivery and encapsulate actives more efficiently than any top-down process or traditional crystallization method," said Thomai "Mimi" Panagiotou, PhD., Microfluidics Chief Technology Officer. "Currently, the typical batch crystallization process involves several steps, often in locations across the country, which can take weeks. MRT simplifies the process and has been proven to reduce production time to a matter of hours. Its innovative capabilities for continuous crystallization and chemical reactions have the potential to transform the manufacture of drugs and chemicals by significantly streamlining the steps, timing and cost of consistent, continuous large-scale commercial production."