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Filling & Sealing Equipment
Xcelodose® System News
Press Releases
2001
Meridica launches its first product, Xcelodose®, a revolutionary new micro-filling system, which will significantly reduce pharmaceutical product development time - 18 September 2001
Meridica - the new drug delivery company formed by PA Consulting Group - will launch its first new product, Xcelodose® at the PPMA Exhibition* at London's ExCel Centre on 25 September 2001.
Less than six months after the company's formation, Xcelodose® - the first new product from Meridica - will be available for license. In line with Meridica's philosophy of "Excellence in Drug Delivery™", the product is a unique precision micro-filling system and represents a completely new technology platform.
Ian Smith, CEO of Meridica, comments:
"Xcelodose® will enable pharmaceutical companies and contract research organisations (CROs) to fill capsules with weights as low as 100 micrograms with drug alone at an accuracy not previously achievable. The ability to do this reliably and consistently will result in significant savings in pharmaceutical development resource, cost and time, and at the same time provide enhanced quality control over the drug content of the capsules. These are vital aspects of early stage product and clinical developments."
Preparation of drug candidates for clinical and pre-clinical trials often means working with only very small amounts of drug. This presents a number of difficulties, particularly in maintaining consistency and accuracy when physically handling the drug, which can be a slow, laborious and inaccurate operation. The traditional response has been to blend these very small amounts of drug substances with excipients, such as lactose, and then to work with the diluted drug in the form of a bulk blend. This necessitates constant testing of the blend to ensure adequate homogeneity and stability. The pharmaceutical work involved can add considerable time and expense to the development process as well as increasing the risk of failure.
Meridica's Xcelodose® technology, with its sophisticated software system controlling the filling process and the degree of precision required, automatically weighs and records the exact amount of drug required into each capsule. It can consistently and precisely handle weights in the range of 100 micrograms up to 100 milligrams thus removing the need for the use of excipients, and the validating of blending processes, thereby reducing chances of failure due to drug and blend stability problems.
Two versions are being launched, Xcelodose® 600, which is fully automated and intended for early stage clinical trials manufacture, and Xcelodose® 120, a manual feed system for the preparation of materials for pre-clinical safety studies.
David Edwards, Meridica's Director of Strategic Marketing, comments:
"We believe that reducing 'time to market' represents one of the major goals for a pharmaceutical company. Any significant saving in the time taken to develop a drug product can directly translate into increased sales and profitability."
Meridica will carry out its own sales, marketing and technical support for Xcelodose®. The company will be taking orders for the system at its product launch at the PPMA Exhibition* on September 25 2001 at the London ExCel Centre. The Xcelodose® system will also feature at the ICSE Exhibition**, October 10-12 2001, also at the London ExCel Centre, and the AAPS Exposition*** in Denver, Colorado, 21-25 October 2001.
Jon Moynihan, Chairman of Meridica and PA's Executive Chairman commented:
"The Xcelodose system is a breakthrough technology platform and one which represents a major advance in the drug formulation development and delivery process. The fact that Meridica has delivered this breakthrough just six months after we set up the company shows the huge potential Meridica has, both in this case and in its product development overall".
Editor's Notes:
1. Meridica's vision is to become the leading source of creative drug delivery systems and drug products for the pharmaceutical sector, based on the excellence and quality of its products. It will enable the full exploitation of the 'biotechnological' advances made in the last decade, and build a position as the leading industry provider of cutting-edge solutions to delivery systems.
Although Meridica Limited is a wholly-owned PAGroup company, it operates as a separate and independent entity with its own board, senior management team, finances and development organisation.
2. PPMA
PPMA (Processing and Packaging Machinery Association) Exhibition* is the PPMA's annual show, which focuses on machinery and equipment for the complete production line. For more information visit www.ppmashow.co.uk.
ICSE Exhibition** is the International Contract Services Expo, which is the forum for all that is necessary for the development, manufacture and distribution of pharmaceuticals on offer by contract service companies. Now in its second year ICSE is the only exhibition that deals exclusively with pharmaceutical outsourcing. It runs alongside the better known CPhI, or the International Convention on Pharmaceutical Ingredients and Intermediates exhibition, which has grown to become the largest gathering of pharmaceutical professionals in Europe. For more information visit www.CPhI.com and www.ICSExpo.com.
AAPS*** is the Annual Meeting and Exposition of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists. For more information visit www.aapspharmaceutica.com.
3. PA Consulting Group is a leading management, systems and technology consulting firm, with a unique combination of these capabilities. Established almost 60 years ago, and operating worldwide from over 40 offices in more than 20 countries, PA draws on the knowledge and experience of around 4,000 people, whose skills span the initial generation of ideas and insights all the way through to detailed implementation.
PA builds strategies for the creation and capture of shareholder and customer value, and helps clients accelerate business growth through innovation and the application of technology. PA works with clients to improve performance, mobilise human resources and deliver change effectively, including managing major projects, and designing and implementing enterprise-wide systems and full e-business solutions.
PA focuses on creating benefits for clients rather than merely proposing them, and this focus is supported by an outstanding implementation track record in every major industry and for governments around the world. PA also develops leading-edge technology both for its clients and within its own portfolio of venture companies in areas ranging from software to wireless technology to life sciences.
PA distinguishes itself from its competitors through the range and quality of its people, the depth of its industry insight, its development and use of technology, and also its independence and culture of respect, collaboration and flexibility in working with clients.
We are proud that our clients say 'PA makes it happen'
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