Pall ups tempo of Allegro campaign
The increasing complexity of pharmaceutical manufacture, coupled with growing concerns about the risk of contamination has, in recent years, seen drugmakers increasingly seek out disposable, batch-specific production options.
As a result disposable manufacturing solutions have emerged for all aspects of the pharma sector, ranging from Bosch’s Prevas liquid filling system to Millipore’s range of vaccine production systems.
Pall’s Allegro is a stainless steel unit that comprises 2D and 3D biocontainers linked to its Kleenpak Nova and Novasip filter capsules and Mustang membrane chromatography unit. The platform also includes bags for collection and transport of process solutions, product intermediates and cell-culture media.
According to Zoch Zamaniyan, vice president of Pall Life Sciences’ biopharmaceuticals unit, the new campaign is designed to make the drug industry aware of the cost and quality benefits the system can provide.
He explained: “By reducing cross contamination, [single-use technology] provides a greater assurance of sterility. It also reduces capital investment costs for facilities and equipment and lowers costs associated with cleaning.”
Zoch also said that: “In applications that process hazardous materials, such as cytotoxic drugs and potent biological materials, closed disposable systems isolate operators from dangers.”
Pall back on track after 2007
Pall’s focus on pushing its Allegro brand suggests that it has regained the confidence lost following the problems it has suffered in recent years. In late 2007, the firm was forced to restate its income tax position after management discovered that they had been under reported.
The first evidence of Pall’s recovery came late last year in its most recent set of quarterly financials. Operating profit for the period ended October 31 was $42m (€32m), up 5 per cent on the first three months of its 2008 fiscal year.
Pall attributed much of the growth to demand for processing systems from the biopharmaceutical sectors in Europe and Asia. The biopharmaceutical division’s sales for the period grew some 6 per cent to $127m
Speaking at the time, company CEO Eric Krasnoff, said that: “Pall’s market diversity and strength across the globe should help mitigate the impact of the economic turmoil,” adding that the firm has a strong balance sheet and is well positioned for the long term.
