Freeze-drying (lyophilisation) is a widely used method for dehydrating a vast range of materials, including pharmaceuticals, vaccines, diagnostics, biological materials, whole organisms and foodstuffs
Despite its increasingly wide usage, however, many still regard freeze-drying as somewhat of an art.
Freeze drying is a complex process in terms of the physics as materials that are freeze-dried are often composed of multiple ingredients, which may give variable and unpredictable freezing and drying behaviour.
Pharmaceutical-grade freeze-dryers are themselves sophisticated pieces of machinery, built to operate as a freezer, a vacuum vessel and an autoclave (for sterilisation), with complex and secure control systems, safety features and data readouts.
Those who are involved with process control, formulation development or quality assurance will know just how important it is to get the process right, especially when an increase of just 1C in drying temperature can result in as much as a 13% decrease in primary drying time.
Biopharma Technology (BTL)'s courses in freeze drying technology have been running successfully world-wide for eight years providing delegates with practical, up-to-date information covering all aspects of freeze drying technology.
Its next course is to be held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on the 5-7 March 2007.
This comprehensive three day course is designed to provide delegates with up-to-date information about all aspects of the process, from technical details of the machinery to formulation development and cycle optimisation.
The courses are suitable for those involved in all stages of freeze drying, from R+D and laboratory work through to full-scale industrial production.
All lecturers are currently active in all aspects of freeze drying, with years of experience as well as up to date knowledge of the field.
The courses include a workshop and allow for interaction and discussion.
Previous courses have been very well attended, with a lot of positive feedback received from attendees.
