Melanie Sena is community editor of Pharmaceutical Technology.

Melanie Sena

FRITSCH offers a range of sieve shakers for dry, wet, and micro-precision sieving. The three different sieves can be used for measuring the quantitative particle size distribution of solids and suspensions. For high performance sieving, the ANALYSETTE 3 Pro has an electromagnetic drive that oscillates sieve stacks into regulated vertical oscillations and can be used in sample quantities up to 2 kg and a measurement range from 5 μm to 63 mm. For typical sieving tasks, the ANALYSETTE 3 Spartan includes the FRITSCH sieve stack tensioning system EASYTWIST and the FRITSCH evaluation software AUTOSIEVE for evaluation of the sieve analysis. For sieving large quantites, FRITSCH offers the ANALYSETTE 18, which can sieve up to 15 kg of material between 20 μm and 125 mm. The three-dimensional sieving motion ensures fast sieving results without manual re-sieving. 

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Sieve Shakers Ensure Reliability

The GFD laboratory nutsche filter–dryer from Powder Systems Limited, originally developed in glass, is available in metal to allow higher pressures. The laboratory- scale unit can be used for feasibility studies and trials before scaling up to a commercial-scale agitated nutsche filter dryer (ANFD). The stainless-steel 316 L or alloy C22 versions allow better replication of the pressures in commercial ANFD. The Mini Lab GFD unit has a total volume of 0.3 L that can filter a cake volume up to 0.1 L and is suitable for laboratory-scale trials. The Lab GFD size includes a removable filtration basket of 0.01-m² for a cake volume of 0.5 L for small-scale synthesis. The Maxi Lab GFD filters a cake volume of 5 L with 0.05-m² filtration area.

Laboratory Filter-Dryer Enables Scalability

Shimadzu Scientific Instruments’ Crude2Pure (C2P) i s an automated purification/powderization technology that eliminates time-consuming operations and allows researchers to focus on synthesizing and isolating target compounds. C2P is designed for use with preparative liquid chromatography. The system uses trap concentration to purify target compounds from synthetic products consisting of low molecular weight organic compounds and complicated natural substances, and recovers them as highly pure powders. The C2P uses the Shim-pack C2P-H trapping column to retain target compounds and remove only residual components by rinse washing to purify the sample. In addition, the C2P accelerates the sample concentration and powderization process by directly eluting the target compounds retained in the trapping column through a spray nebulizer. 

Powderization System Improves Productivity

Malaria experts from countries across Africa met at the 13th Annual National Malaria Control Program (

) Best Practice Sharing Workshop on June 25, 2014. The gathering provided a platform to discuss and share knowledge and experiences and to drive dialogue around improved health outcomes and access to quality antimalarial treatments for patients in Africa. For these workshops, Novartis worked in collaboration with the Global Fund, World Health Organization, the WorldWide Antimalarial Resistance Network, the Kenya Medical Research Institute-Wellcome Trust, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, US Pharmacopeia, Populations Services International, Ifakara Health Institute, and the Pharmacy and Poisons Board.

 “It’s crucial that governments take urgent action to ensure patients are not put at risk of substandard treatments. We must make sure that the public is made aware of the importance of taking preventative measures as well. The ongoing role of Novartis in facilitating these workshops provides a platform for discussing these important issues, for sharing best practice in public education, and for mapping the sources of poor quality antimalarials,” said Dr. Ambrose Talisuna, who spoke on behalf of the WorldWide Antimalarial Resistance Network.

Novartis' 13th Annual Malaria Expert Panel focused on access to quality anti-malarials across Africa.

Novartis Hosts 13th Annual Malaria Expert Panel

 (PhRMA), America’s biopharmaceutical research companies are developing 435 new medicines to target 15 leading chronic conditions affecting the Medicare population. These medicines in development include: 110 for diabetes, 62 for rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, 67 for Alzheimer’s disease, 61 for heart disease (i.e., heart failure, hypertension, ischemic heart disease and high cholesterol), and 40 for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Approximately 92% of older adults have at least one chronic condition and 77% have at least two, according to the National Council on Aging. The new report conveys a variety of new approaches to treat many of these disorders. Examples include: a potential new class of lipid-lowering treatments that would block a protein from interfering with the removal of LDL cholesterol from the blood; a medicine in development for heart failure that relaxes blood vessels and reduces fluid buildup, that could reduce damage to the heart and other vital organs related to the damage associated with heart failure; a long-acting oral medicine to treat type 2 diabetes that increases insulin secretion resulting in lower blood sugar levels, making it potentially a once-weekly versus daily treatment; a potential medicine for Alzheimer’s disease that inhibits beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme, that could reduce plaque formation and modify Alzheimer’s disease progression.

PhRMA announced 430 new medicines in development to treat chronic diseases affecting older Americans.

More than 430 New Medicines in Development for Chronic Diseases

 has launched the NIH 3D Print Exchange, a public website that enables users to share, download, and edit three-dimensional (3D) print files related to health and science. These files can be used, for example, to print custom laboratory equipment and models of bacteria and human anatomy. The launch coincided with the first White House Maker Faire External, an event designed to celebrate US innovation in science, technology, engineering, and math.

NIH uses 3D printing to study viruses, repair and enhance laboratory apparatus, and help plan medical procedures. The 3D Print Exchange makes these types of files freely available, along with video tutorials for new users and a discussion forum to promote collaboration. The site also features tools that convert scientific and clinical data into ready-to-print 3D files.

The 3D Print Exchange is a collaborative effort led by NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Additional support is provided by other NIH components, including the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Library of Medicine. The 3D Print Exchange is funded in part by the US Department of Health and Human Services through its Ignite External Web Site Policy and Ventures External Web Site Policy programs, which help support innovation within the agency.

NIH launched 3D Print Exchange, a public website promoting health and science applications of 3D printing.