Astrazeneca Installs Innovative Valves vs. Traditional Diaphragm Valves

As one would expect, production requirements at a global pharmaceutical company such as AstraZeneca are extremely demanding. In Södertälje, Sweden, where the company produce Pulmicort®, one of the world’s leading asthma medicines, Ulf Nilsson, Project Manager for AstraZeneca Engineering, quickly understood the advantages of Robolux over traditional diaphragm valves. After the success of the first installation, two new systems using Robolux valves have now been added to the facility.

Continuous flow
The production of Pulmicort Respules for nebulization requires the ingredients to be mixed together with water to create a final formulation, which is then packaged in plastic ampules (Blow Fill Seal) as part of a closed cycle process.

However, the active ingredient in Pulmicort is not soluble so the mixture is a suspension rather than a solution. To avoid sedimentation occurring it is imperative that once compounded and mixed the formulation is kept in continuous motion until filled and sealed. Any deadlegs in the system, where sedimentation might potentially occur, have to be minimized to ensure correct product concentrations are maintained.