AB BioTechnologies Expands Sterile Injectable Capabilities

AB BioTechnologies has selected Vanrx Pharmasystems to provide aseptic filling and lyophilizer loading systems for its new facility.

AB is expanding its services to enable customers to develop new drug products from preclinical through clinical trials using a single provider. The company's expansion into automated aseptic filling and lyophilization complements its existing offering of formulation, analytical services, lyophilization cycle development and GLP/tox manufacturing.

AB BioTechnologies says it will be the first company in the U.S. to operate a complete Vanrx system. The full system consists of the SA25 Aseptic Filling Workcell, Accumulator and Lyophilizer Loader. Vanrx offers a gloveless robotic isolator system for aseptic filling and lyophilization of sterile injectable pharmaceuticals. Their systems can support clinical and commercial drug production.

"The flexibility and aseptic assurance of the Vanrx system will enable us to provide exceptional service to pharmaceutical companies," said said Jeff Schwegman, chief executive officer, AB BioTechnologies. "Clients will be able to bring drug products to market faster, with stable formulations and with process development already well underway for commercial production."

AB BioTechnologies is constructing a 23,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Bloomington, IN. The Vanrx aseptic filling equipment will be installed within a prefabricated modular cleanroom from Biologics Modular, and attached to a lyophilizer from SP Scientific. The SA25 will be installed for liquid GMP manufacturing by the fourth quarter of 2017, with added lyophilization capabilities beginning in 2018.

Vanrx Aseptic Filling Workcells enable the production of liquid or freeze-dried drug products in a variety of vial, syringe and cartridge formats. It is a fully integrated, automated aseptic filling system that combines robotics, gloveless isolator and machine vision technologies.