Eliminating the Risk of Contamination in Freeze Drying

ALUS® is something of an unsung hero in the world of pharmaceutical processing. Since GEA Lyophil was the first company to manufacture the system more than 20 years ago, ALUS® has made a huge contribution to a safer and more productive operation of freeze dryers. Over the years GEA Lyophil has introduced significant innovations both to the permanently installed and free-moveable transfer cart systems. For example, in 1997 the company was the first to bring a complete system consisting of freeze dryer, ALUS® and isolators into production. GEA Lyophil continues the development today with the latest in ALUS® technology: a stationary push/pull
ALUS® system, which loads and unloads pharmaceutical vials smoothly into and out from a freeze dryer with man-less operator monitoring. This frame-less transport of vials is suitable for integration into a RABS or an Isolator.

Vial size changes can be carried out quickly and easily by simply exchanging the format parts without the use of tools. When an isolator is in place, format change can take place without opening the isolator, this is especially important when operating with high containment products such as oncology or hormone products.

Using ALUS®, vials remain covered by laminar air flow during the loading process, and there are no moving parts above the open vials that might create contamination. ALUS® also complies with ATEX guidelines for drugs needing alcohol-based solvents. The benefits of using ALUS® are: minimised risk of product contamination: no moving parts above open vials during loading and unloading; high throughput: maximum speed of up to 500 vials/min for loading and 700 vials/min for unloading; highly flexible through very quick format part change; easy cleaning, operation and maintenance: compact design and strict separation of production and maintenance without drives and electrical parts in the product room; maximum availability and productivity by high-quality, durable construction; prepared for applications involving highly potent drugs due to integration in RABS or Isolator; and lower investment and operating cost due to reduced footprint that allows smaller isolator and less space in production.