Freeze dryers – From small scale to production plants

The challenges of the pharmaceutical freeze-drying process

In the pharmaceutical and biotech industry, freeze-drying plays a crucial role in the production of medicines, vaccines, and biopharmaceuticals. However, the process is highly technical and differs significantly depending on the development and production phase. In this article, we highlight the differences between freeze dryers for small-scale applications in preclinical development and large-scale production facilities.

Freeze-drying systems for every stage of development

Small-scale freeze dryers are primarily used in early development phases - to optimize formulations, for stability studies, or for feasibility testing. In this phase, the aim is to determine the ideal process parameters, such as temperature curves, pressure ratios, or drying times for a new product. These findings are essential to ensure stable and efficient freeze-drying.

In comparison, freeze dryers in production facilities are designed for the industrial production of large batches. They not only have to guarantee the highest product quality, but also do so consistently and with high efficiency. For the successful transition from preclinical development to production, the processes determined on a small scale must be exactly transferable to production facilities - without compromising on quality or safety.

From development to production: The scale-up process

As the behavior of a medication in the freeze-drying process cannot be predicted across the board, development always begins on a small scale. Each substance requires an individually tailored freeze-drying formula - a combination of optimum temperature control, vacuum control, and drying time.

Performing such tests directly in the production plant would not only be energy-intensive and expensive but would also hinder production capacities. In addition, large freeze dryers are not designed for small product quantities and would waste resources with their unused vacuum and cooling capacity.

As soon as a stable process has been developed on a small scale, the technology transfer begins to reliably transfer the determined parameters to the production plant. To ensure that this transfer runs smoothly, both the components and the control technology of the freeze dryers should be as identical or compatible as possible.

The software also plays a decisive role here: If the freeze dryers and production systems have a uniform user interface, this not only makes it easier to train staff, but also minimizes operating errors and speeds up the introduction of new products. 

Processes, systems, regulations - Everything must be OPTIMA LYO-SCALE: Seamless scaling into production

With the OPTIMA LYO-SCALE , Optima offers a freeze dryer that has been specially designed for the requirements of the early development phases. The aim is to achieve seamless and loss-free transferability to large-scale production. Thanks to identical process control, comparable sensor technology, and a coordinated software platform, parameters determined in the LYO-SCALE can be transferred directly to larger freeze dryers.