The winners of this year’s Exhibitor Awards have been announced at the International Pharmaceutical Expo (Interphex) — an event dedicated to pharmaceutical and biotechnology innovation, technology and knowledge.
Award
“The Interphex Exhibitor Awards were introduced to recognise and reward outstanding innovation and knowledge to help the industry cost-effectively develop and manufacture quality product,” said Michael Mandl, group vice president, Interphex. “This year, more than 150 companies chose Interphex to launch new technologies. Thank you to the large number of exhibitors who submitted their technology, product, or service for consideration. Congratulations to the winning exhibitors, and make sure you stop by their booth to discover cutting-edge innovation.”
The awards are sponsored by Pharmaceutical Processing and are awarded in six categories: Best in Show, Best New Product/Service, Editor’s Choice, Best Technological Innovation, Efficiency Champion, and Biotech Innovation.
Best in Show: Varnx Pharmasystems — Microcell Vial Filler, Booth #3805
A completely robotic aseptic filling machine built within gloveless isolators, creating a highly repeatable filling process for complex drug products. The Microcell is designed for drug development, early clinical trial supply production and manufacturing of autologous cell therapies, gene therapies, immuno-oncology products and other personalised medicines. Depending on the batch size, the Microcell can produce at least four autologous therapies in an eight-hour shift and as many as eight with a batch size of 100 units or less.
Best New Product/Service: Nymi — Nymi Authentication Solution, Booth #1373
The Nymi Authentication Solution features a new multifactor authenticator called the Nymi Band, a biometrically authenticated wearable that simplifies log attempts across the manufacturing process, from raw material R&D through to finalising batches to be shipped out to end users. Due to the Nymi Band being faster at logging actions into the system, there is an efficiency gain across the board. Higher security and adherence to regulatory and more savings through an increase in efficiency.
Editor’s Choice (sponsored by Pharmaceutical Processing): LifeAire Systems — The LifeAire System, Booth #1575
This patented, multi-staged, in-duct air purification system designed for the needs of cleanroom, living cell culture, and clinical environments, are ideal for the manufacture of pharmaceutical and biotech intermediates and end products requiring highly-controlled production and testing where sensitivity to ambient air is a factor. It involves a comprehensive removal of chemical and biological airborne pathogens and toxic levels of VOCs and viable particulates present in the processing space not addressed with current GMP and ISO metrics.
Best Technologies Innovation: MilliporeSigma — Millistak+ HC Pro, Booth #2841
This Portfolio is a ‘next generation’ technology that delivers higher productivity, increased speed and reduced risk. Biopharma manufacturers have the choice to eliminate naturally-derived components from their bioprocess clarification train and can now use a depth filter with reduced total organic carbon (TOC) extractables that enables a 50% reduction in pre-use flush volumes and eliminates a possible source of beta glucans, which can interfere with Limulus Amebocyte Lysate (LAL) endotoxin assays. Lot-to-lot consistency helps biopharmaceutical manufacturers design a robust clarification process.
INTERPHEX Efficiency Champion: Steris Life Sciences — Steris VHP DC-A, Booth #3121
Steris VHP DC-A is a new generation of vaporised hydrogen peroxide decontamination chambers for transfer of materials, components and material bags into aseptic manufacturing cleanroom areas. The new product decontaminates surfaces of transfer material loads under room temperature and atmospheric conditions and minimizes particulate burden effectively that would otherwise transfer to the cleanroom side along with the unloading.
Biotech Innovation: groninger USA — FlexPro50, Booth #3611
This manual or fully loaded automated modular filling and closing system offers high process safety in aseptic fill/finish reducing the risk at human intervention. Ready-to-Use vials, cartridges and syringes can be processed on one line configuration by changing format parts; additional flexibility is given by exchanging the machine trolleys to process vials in trays or in bulk in the same line configuration. Hand gloves on front and back of the main and add-on isolators allow machine access from both sides. A new Direct-Injection-System reduces the decontamination cycle by 50%. The line can be changed to process different products in two hours.