(MY NOTE: THE FOLLOWING NEWS RELEASE CAME OUT TODAY FROM TERAVIEW, AND PORTENDS A HUGE ADVANCE IN PHARMACEUTICAL TABLET INSPECTION, OR DOES IT? THE FOLLOWING VIDEO FROM THE IFPAC CONFERENCE IN 2009, INDICATES THAT PICOMETRIC, A SUBSIDIARY OF ADVANCED PHOTONIX, WAS ON THE VERGE IF NOT ALREADY PERFORMING 100% TABLET INSPECTION AT THAT TIME. YOU MAY HAVE TO COPY THIS LINK INTO YOUR BROWSER.)
http://tinyurl.com/ylb6e4s
TeraView and Oystar Manesty lead consortium demonstrates real time in line measurement of tablet coating thickness variability within a coating pan
[February 23, 2010 TeraView]
Cambridge, UK. February 3, 2010.
TeraView, along with its partners Oystar Manesty, Liverpool University and Cambridge University have successfully demonstrated the ability to measure in-line the coating thickness distribution on a batch of tablets within a production scale coating pan in real time.
TeraView's proprietary terahertz sensor technology is rapid and can measure multiple coatings and layers. The measurements require no calibration and are made on individual tablets, enabling tablet to tablet and batch to batch variability to be assessed. Existing techniques, such as NIR spectroscopy, require calibrating prior to each and every process, formulation or product change. Rather than providing a measurement of single tablets they measure multiple tablets and hence are unable to look at tablet-to-tablet variability within the batch during the process.
Knowing and managing thickness variability is a key quality attribute for products whose coating thickness is directly related to their performance (e.g. controlled release products). Accessing quality based on the average thickness alone can lead to tablets being out of specification or excessively coated.
The TeraView system is unique in its ability to measure this variability in-line.
The flexibility and speed of the system make it ideal for use in process development, scale up, technology transfers and manufacturing. The unit also complements TeraView's existing off-line tablet imaging system, the TPI imaga 2000.
The TPI imaga 2000 was developed specifically to study coating variability within individual tablets and between tablets off-line and as such is perfect for product design. The new system allows for the measurement, and ultimately the control, of the coatings in-line.
"We are very excited about the team's achievements" said Dr Don Arnone, TeraView's Chief Executive Officer. "It is well documented that not all tablets in a batch are of the same quality, and this now offers a quick and easy way of measuring and ultimately controlling this variability. It builds on the considerable body of work to date with our existing pharma customers and with the FDA".
Terahertz light is unique in its ability to non-destructively image tablets and other dosage forms. X-ray and infrared frequently lack sensitivity or penetration. TeraView currently works closely with blue chip customers in the pharmaceutical and other industries who are exploring the use of terahertz in product and process development and quality control of finished product in manufacturing.