Application Note: Sizing Of Parenteral (Injectable) Drug Powder

A large multinational pharmaceutical corporation approached Quadro with an application to size sterile, freeze dried (lyophilized), pharmaceutical powders. The sterile powders are then placed into sterile vials for use as an injectable dosage form (parenteral). The product in the vials is stable for a long period of time as it is freeze dried, sterile and sealed under vacuum. When it is time to use the drug, a solvent (such as water) is added by syringe to the vial and the vial is shaken to dissolve the powder within. The resulting suspension or solution is then withdrawn from the vial by syringe and injected directly into the patients blood stream. It is important that the powder in the vial be of a lump free and uniform particle size to facilitate suspension or dissolution and to provide the required maximum particle size to suit the needle and application used.