Antaristm Target Blend Analyzer Wins Best Micro- and Nanotechnologies 2006 Award

Thermo Fisher Scientific, a leader in serving science, announces that its Antaris Target blend analyzer has been named by R&D Magazine and MICRO/NANO Newsletter as one of the 25 best micro- and nanotechnologies introduced into the marketplace in 2006. With this inaugural award, R&D magazine and the editors of MICRO/NANO Newsletter select those products, processes, inventions and discoveries that are the most innovative and most groundbreaking and that are likely to have the largest impact on their industry or society. Specifically designed to meet the needs of scientists working in pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical research and development, pharmaceutical manufacturing and Process Analytical Technology (PAT), The Antaris Target near-infrared (NIR) blend analyzer enables real-time monitoring of tablet manufacturing blending processes.

The blending of powders for tablet production ensures that all tablets made from the batch contain the target amount of active and other ingredients. Insufficient or too much blending results in non-uniformity of tablets and a significant loss of funds. Traditionally, the testing of pharmaceutical blends has been done by manually collecting up to 30 samples per batch and sending them to the laboratory for HPLC or other testing for uniformity. However, this testing exposes operators to high potency drugs, is not likely to detect common blend problems, is time-consuming and expensive and there is the possibility of interference with blend uniformity.

The Thermo Scientific Antaris Target blend analyzer mounts directly onto pilot and production scale blending equipment in the laboratory, facilitating process endpoint determination, blend uniformity verification and blend problem detection in real-time. The system works by collecting a near-infrared diffuse reflectance spectrum of powder through a window in the powder bin. It can be optically optimized for different dosages and can determine blending endpoint without calibration. Additionally, it achieves the highest available resolution measurements for accurate endpoint determination as well as concentration measurements using switch-free automatic data acquisition. The combination of one-piece design, compact size, easy mounting mechanism, wireless communications and internal rechargeable battery capability of the Antaris Target blend analyzer allows it to be quickly and easily moved from one blender to another, maximizing its utility and return on investment.

The Antaris Target blend analyzer provides a complete solution in a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) manufacturing setting. Using Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology, the analyzer provides high spectral resolution and analyte specificity, continuous source output over battery life, 20+ year reliability and continuous internal wavelength and photometric self-calibration. Internal backgrounds/referencing allow instrument referencing while the system is on the blender. Data trigger positions are easily set in the software, enabled by the patent-pending use of accelerometer electronics that determine the position of the analyzer in the rotation cycle.