Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group (WMFTG) has launched the Flexicon PF7+ intuitive peristaltic filling pump, designed to provide a no-waste solution and 21 CFR compliance for critical aseptic final fill applications. The PF7+ is an updated version of the company’s PF7, suitable for research and development to clinical trials and small batch production and is aimed to ensure products such as ATMPs, vaccines, and cell and gene therapies are protected from contamination and damage to viability.
Bioprocessing needs are becoming increasingly complex with the development of novel biological therapies, the company says, so adopting smarter technologies for final fill processes is vital.
The pump reportedly offers zero waste start-up and 100% in-process weight checking when connected to a third-party balance, meaning more liquid can be used for viable product and less valuable product is wasted. To ensure accuracy in fill volumes, the pump is set up with dynamic recalibration to automatically adjust if a series of consecutive fills deviates too far from the fill target. The device can also check the weight of individual fills and uses colour fill tolerance to indicate if the fill is within the acceptance criteria for easy vial rejection.
These additional features build on the existing capabilities of the PF7 to allow for precision filling from as low as 0.2ml and repeatable filling accuracies higher than ±0.5%. With gentle pumping action that eliminates foaming, splashing or dripping, the company says, costly overfilling is prevented.