Pharmaceuticals

Examples of those key strategies include Process Analytical Technology (PAT), and new drug delivery systems.

Reducing costs may require the use of new raw material suppliers, which could result in unplanned process variability or unanticipated process changes.  Perhaps you are on the other side of this relationship, whereby you are unsure if your process changes will affect your customer.  On the other hand, newer materials and manufacturing techniques demand a better understanding of the process as a whole.  This may include implementing various programs such as six sigma, PAT, quality-by-design (QBD), or specific FDA guidance documents, with the goal of improved quality and reduced time-to-market.  Novel techniques (e.g., continuous blending) in the pharmaceutical industry can pose increased risk and effort to implement.

Jenike & Johanson can provide you with knowledge of how pharmaceutical powders will behave from raw material dispensing, blending, storage, transfer, and through the creation of the final dose.

This knowledge can be used to avoid and solve problems related to poor flow, as well as segregation, blend and content uniformity.  We are also active participants in the research conducted by the ISPE Blend and Content Uniformity Initiative. Variability in pharmaceutical solid dosage form (e.g., tablet, capsule, or chewable) mass can be directly attributable to non-uniform powder flow and insufficient blending.  Tableting problems such as capping, delamination, or erratic hardness are often due to air and powder interaction at compaction.