Today’s pharmaceutical leaders are discovering and developing a wide range of new medicines to help people live longer, more productive lives. As a result, scientists require appropriate equipment to support synthesis of these medicines. High pressure homogenizers have a wide variety of applications that are directly incorporated into common pharmaceutical drugs and treatments. Below is a compilation of these applications and relevant pharmaceutical uses.
- Particle Size Reduction
Vaccines, vaccine adjuvants, nutraceuticals, and antibiotics are a small few of the many pharmaceutical products affected by particle size. Homogenizer technology is one of few that can achieve both small particle size and uniform consistency, which will prepare your lab to produce a high quality drug product. Benefits of reduced particle size in pharmaceutical products include:
- increased bioavailability
- chemical stability
- ease in swallowing
- enhanced physical appearance
- Micro/Nano Emulsions
Comprising a wide array of pharmaceutical products such as those intended for oral or topical use, emulsions are mixtures of two immiscible liquids that are stabilized by an emulsifying agent. Optimally functioning at reduced particle sizes, emulsions work to mask unpleasant tastes, increase absorption rate, enhance washability, optimize viscosity and minimize grease.
- Dispersions
Dispersions are similar to emulsions in the establishment of a continuous phase; yet dispersions are distinct in that they comprise finely divided solid particles in a liquid, whereas emulsions comprise liquid particles. Dispersions have a multitude of pharmaceutical uses, mostly as oral, parenteral, or inhalant/aerosol products. Antacids, antibacterials, anticonvulsants, and antifungal agents are just a small number of drugs that are comprised of dispersions. Critical to proper drug functioning, dispersions can improve chemical stability, minimize clotting, mask bitter tastes, control drug release, and increase rates of bioavailability.
- Cell Disruption
Interestingly enough, technology that is designed to reduce particle size is also suited for gently rupturing cells. Cell disruption is actually the first step in particle size reduction, and releases desired biomolecules from within the cell. Laboratory scientists require ability to rupture a wide variety of cells, such as E. coli, yeast, mammalian tissue, bacteria, algae, fungi and insect. Cell disruption methods are typically deemed effective based on accessibility of intracellular proteins for extraction and solubility and process flexibility, e.g. ability to run a harsher or more gentle process based on the cell type.
Pion: The High Pressure Homogenizer Advantage
Are you in need of equipment to support synthesis of a pharmaceutical product? Pion's Technology is trusted by pharmaceutical researchers and lab managers around the world. We deliver an array of key benefits, such as production of nano/micro emulsions and dispersions and lipids and suspensions; these can be used for applications such as injectables, targeted drug delivery, inhalants, time release, anesthetics, and importantly, vaccinations.
In addition, we have extensive experience in the challenges that our pharmaceutical customers face as they transition from concept, through to R&D, clinical trials, all-important FDA approval and finally, to manufacturing.
See more information on our pharmaceutical processing equipment now.
