LMS Volume 33 |ssue 4 | Page 16

16  LMS  Issue 4 | 2014 Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals Celebrating 40 Years in Sterility Testing I n 2014, Steritest™ systems celebrate 40 years in sterility testing. Sterility testing is one of the most crucial steps in pharmaceutical product release. False positives, false negatives, equipment failure and human error can cost time, money and the product. The Steritest Equinox pump is a software-controlled peristaltic pump used for the safe, uniform transfer of drug samples from various packaging formats through the Steritest sterility testing devices. The Equinox pump and Steritest devices deliver sterility testing consistency and reliability. The development of the Equinox pump is the result of years of customer collaboration and communication as well as testing experience. The innovative hardware design and control software offers an easy-to-use, intelligent system. From a computer, standard operating procedures (SOPs) can be developed and then loaded onto the Equinox Pump. In automated mode, an analyst simply selects the appropriate SOP for the sample to test from the Equinox control panel. The pump will then walk the analyst through each step, acting as a training guide, thereby supporting good manufacturing practices. The various steps in the procedure, corresponding pump speed and related information are displayed on the control panel, improving repeatability and reliability. Analysts can then select either manual or automated mode. In manual mode, the pump will prompt the analyst to enter data at each step of the procedure. Designed for use with Steritest EZ devices, the automatic pump head makes it easy to load and unload unit tubing without the risk of damaging the isolator gloves. The pump is also equipped with a precision ‘stop control’ for low volume sampling. A built-in timer enables analysts to preset the time for the transfer of product into both canisters. This is critical for product exposed to the environment. A pressure control system constantly monitors the pressure inside both Steritest canisters ensuring that the system is running within acceptable pressure limits at all times. An alarm informs the operator of any pressure increase above specifications. An external foot switch operates the pump in either ‘continuous’ or ‘two-way’ operation mode. Ergonomically designed for easy operation and cleanability, the Equinox pump fits in both glove and half-suit isolators. Its profile ensures perfect decontamination inside isolators, eliminating the risk of false-positives. Its unique design makes it easy to connect to an isolator table during maintenance. The drain tray as and the 316l stainless steel surfaces of the pump, pump head and bottle holder are easily cleaned using most standard decontamination agents. ⚛ Merck Millipore Field Marketing Manager: Melanie May Tel: 011-372-5027 Email: [email protected] Cool Off with the F Series J ulabo’s F series of Compact Recirculating Coolers are ideal for simple cooling tasks in laboratory. The smallest recirculating cooler of this new family, the F250, was technically upgraded to provide a wider temperature range from -10°C to +40°C. The new F500 and F1000 recirculating coolers feature even higher cooling capacities and stronger integrated pumps. The pump of the F500 delivers 24l/min at 0.5bars and the stronger pump of the F1000 delivers 23l/min at 1.0bar. These systems can be used in conjunction with rotary evaporators, bioreactors/fermenters, Soxhlet apparatus, distillation s \