Tim Freeman, Managing Director of Freeman Technology, will present new research at IFPAC 2014 showing how the FT4 Powder Rheometer® can be used to drive an efficient Quality by Design (QbD) strategy in the development of continuous manufacturing processes.
IFPAC 2014 is the 24th International Forum and Exhibition Process Analytical Technology (IFPAC), which runs from January 22-24 2014 in Arlington, Washington DC, USA.
In ‘A QbD Approach to Continuous Tablet Manufacture’ Tim Freeman describes a study in which powder characterisation specialist Freeman Technology and GEA Pharma Systems, a company renowned for its expertise in the design and supply of pharmaceutical processing equipment, worked together to demonstrate an effective and streamlined methodology for optimising continuous wet granulation processes. The results show how appropriate powder characterisation can accelerate process development towards a successful conclusion.
Freeman Technology is to present how the FT4 Powder Rheometer ® is being used to advance continuous manufacturing in the pharmaceutical industry.
Catch the talk on Wednesday 22nd January in the afternoon or visit the Freeman Technology Booth #202 during the event where company experts will be on hand to demonstrate the FT4 Powder Rheometer® and answer any questions about the research. Registration for the event can be accessed online at http://www.ifpac.com/
A defining application of wet granulation is the production of easily handled granules that process reliably to produce high quality tablets. The new research, which used a GEA systems ConsiGma 1™ continuous wet granulation unit, identified a direct and robust correlation between the hardness of finished tablets and the dynamic properties of the granules, as measured with the FT4 Powder Rheometer. This correlation allows tablet hardness to be predicted from granule properties measured at any stage during the wet granulation manufacturing process. It can therefore be used to rapidly scope and establish which wet granulation conditions will produce tablets with a defined quality. This is a significant step towards a full QbD Design Space specification for continuous wet granulation.
The FT4 Powder Rheometer allows the measurement of powders in a range of dynamic environments, testing powders in a consolidated, conditioned, aerated or even fluidised state. This enables manufacturers to fully understand powder behaviour within a range of process environments and implement smart changes to optimise performance. The FT4 Powder Rheometer finds application within almost every area of industrial powder handling and offers proven solutions to the emerging challenge of implementing QbD to improve the efficiency of batch processing and to develop continuous manufacturing processes.
An application note detailing the GEA Pharma Systems/Freeman Technology study can be downloaded from the Freeman Technology website at http://bit.ly/FTGEA
For more information on the FT4 Powder Rheometer and a full program of upcoming Freeman Technology events visit the Freeman Technology website at www.freemantech.co.uk.
Freeman Technology and Powder Rheometer are registered trademarks of Freeman Technology Ltd.