As a fill and finish process, freeze drying plays a key role in aseptic pharmaceutical and biotech production. Lyophilized products retain their original properties and, by adding water or a suitable solvent, they can be easily and quickly reconstituted. As such, freeze drying is widely used as a preservation method. Each product requires specific process parameters to be identified and optimized, including the initial freezing process, which is of great importance for the final product structure. The shelf temperature and the corresponding sublimation pressure during primary drying determine not only the drying time, but also the quality of the final product.

Typical quality aspects are original property retention, cake appearance, reconstitution time and shelf-life. The freezing and melting behavior of the product is tested in the laboratory to establish the correct outcome from the start. These test results then form the parameters for further pilot testing to develop the freeze-drying process, reduce time-to-market and ensure effective scale-up to full production.

We deliver Automatic Loading and Unloading Systems for freeze dryers and integrate isolators and CIP-skids into a complete freeze dryer system. Our range of supplies and services comprises pilot-scale freeze dryers for R&D purposes and small production batches; industrial-size freeze dryers; and complete freeze dryer systems including Automatic Loading and Unloading Systems.