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New Xcelohood(TM) Containment Hood for Safer Micro-Filling of Potent Compounds

Capsugel
2008-09-17 22:51 3351

Being Launched at TechnoPharm 2008 Exhibition

CAMBRIDGE, England, Sept. 17 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ --

Capsugel, the world’s leading provider of oral dosage form solutions to the pharmaceutical and related healthcare industries, is pleased to announce the release of its new Xcelohood(TM) Containment System. Designed for fully integrated use with the Xcelodose(R) Precision Micro-dosing System, it enables safer containment, particularly when filling capsules with potentially toxic and potent compounds.

The Xcelohood containment system is a mobile cabinet that is framed with stainless steel and which contains clear polycarbonate viewing panels and two fans. The hood is custom designed to fit securely around any Xcelodose model machine. It is also fully compatible with the Xcelotable(TM) Support Stand, a table with an internal damping plate to minimise vibration during weighing. The panels of the Xcelohood containment hood have two horizontally opening latched doors, making it easy for operators to access the Xcelodose machine. In addition, because the hood’s fans maintain constant laminar air flow when one or both doors are open, they provide continuous protection from potentially harmful compounds.

To maintain dosing accuracy, the fans in the Xcelohood containment system are mechanically decoupled from the sensitive weighing mechanism of the Xcelodose system, such that any vibrations do not interfere with its performance. The Xcelohood containment system has two pre-filters and a HEPA filter, which feature a safe, "bag-in, bag-out" changeover, ensuring any material in the filter does not contaminate the clean room or laboratory during filter exchange.

"As the Xcelodose technology has become the leading technology for preparing pre-clinical and early phase trial supplies, many of our users now have a requirement to fill their capsules with compounds of up to OEB 4 level potency," said Mike Savill, Manager, Pharmaceutical Technology Group at Capsugel. "In attempting to use ‘generic’ or standard flow hoods with such compounds, however, difficulties were encountered. More specifically, such hoods often produced vibration feedback which interfered with weighing, causing dosing inaccuracies."

Savill added that the Capsugel’s Xcelodose Factory Support Team will be launching the Xcelohood containment system at the upcoming Technopharm exhibition (Stand 1-556) from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2 in Nurnberg, Germany.

The new Xcelohood containment system is also available for demonstration and viewing at Capsugel’s Xcelodose Factory Support team premises at Ely, Cambridgeshire, UK.

About Capsugel

Capsugel, the world’s leading provider of dosage form solutions to the pharmaceutical and related healthcare industries, is a division of Pfizer Inc. Offering a diverse array of products and services, Capsugel is at the forefront of drug delivery innovation. Recent product launches include the CFS 1200 Liquid Filling and Sealing Machine and the Xcelodose(R) S Precision Powder Micro-filling System. Both utilise advanced technology that can better enable R&D scientists to accelerate the pace of drug development.

Source: Capsugel
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