Pfizer in Mexico has recently purchased a MODUL™ tablet press from Courtoy,
Belgium for the manufacture of tablets for the treatment of arthritis, high
blood pressure and stomachic diseases. The new tablet press has a unique
modular design that allows a substantially shorter changeover between batches
than has been possible in the past.
The MODUL™ has all its product-contact parts contained in an
Exchangeable Compression Module (ECM). At the end of a batch the operator
simply swings out
the used ECM and replaces it with a clean unit. Tablet
production can immediately resume. The used ECM is removed from the tabletting
room for cleaning.
Pfizer’s main driver to choose the Courtoy MODUL™ tablet press was to
maximize capacity: its instantaneous capacity is very close to the theoretical
maximum;
and it has a short change-over time. Pfizer estimates that the
shortest payback of the capital investment will be achieved with the MODUL™
concept.
The Pfizer installation consists of the MODUL™ with tablet deduster, metal
checker, in-process tablet tester, tablet IBCs all in contained execution.
Furthermore, the MODUL™ is supplied with the unique and patented ‘Dual
Control’ system. Traditionally, it is only possible to control tablet weight.
However this Dual Control system, controls both tablet weight and tablet
hardness simultaneously and independently from each other.
In a recent interview during the FAT of the machine at Courtoy facilities,
Mr. Luiz Antonio V. Cerciello, Project Manager from Pfizer Toluca Plant in
Mexico said that he expects lower set-up losses, good yield, good Cpk values
for the process, better tablet quality and higher productivity using the MODUL™
tablet press. “Taking all these things into consideration, the MODUL™ is the
best alternative to fulfil our requirements,” he said. He added that the use of
the MODUL™ in future would allow the plant to process drugs with low OEL
levels.
The MODUL™ tablet press is available with a wide range of ECM modules for
specific purposes. Together they provide:
- Reduced down time with significantly increased productivity;
- Fewer machines means less capital investment; less use of valuable space;
and less energy consumption;
- Increased flexibility allows different batches, with different tooling, and
different containment level requirements to be run on the same day;
- The product is contained within the ECM to avoid contaminating the room or
the operator in many cases avoiding the need for clean room space;
- Highly toxic drugs can be handled without risk to operators;
- Easy maintenance through better visibility and accessibility.
Current ECM models are:
- C-ECM - the standard contained ECM for normal tablet production of
non-toxic materials.
- HC-ECM - the high-containment ECM for compression of toxic and potent
drugs.
- HC-ECM WOL - the HC-ECM equipped with wash-off-line features.
- G-ECM - the galenic contained ECM for compression of small non-toxic
product quantities for R&D and formulation development purposes.
- HC-G-ECM - the galenic ECM for toxic and potent compounds.
- HC-G-ECM WOL - the galenic high-containment ECM with wash off-line
capability