Lyophilization is used in various industries today. It is primarily preferred in the food sector, and it is commonly used to prepare fruits, vegetables, coffee, pet food, and emergency packs. Additionally, with increasing needs, it is also preferred as a highly practical storage method in the health sector.
“Is it possible to develop drugs with lyophilization?” is one of the most wondered questions in the health sector. It is known that drugs and similar medical products are delicate products, and let’s examine the importance of lyophilization technology in preserving these products together.
What is Lyophilization (Freeze Drying) Technology?
Lyophilization (freeze-drying) is known as drying by freezing. Lyophilization is done with freeze-dryer machines produced with the most advanced technology, unlike traditional drying methods. Products are frozen, then the product’s water is removed and dried at low temperatures and pressure. The lyophilization process is carried out using the sublimation effect. The process is completed in three stages. These are:
- Freezing: Here, the sample to be lyophilized is first frozen. This is generally done between -40°C and -80°C. This phase solidifies most of the water in the product, which facilitates the evaporation of water in the next part. Thus, it helps to preserve the original structure of the product.
- Primary Drying (Primary Freezing): The frozen sample is under low pressure. Then heat is applied, and this triggers the evaporation and sublimation of water (transition from solid to gas state). This stage allows most of the water in the product to be removed by evaporation.
- Secondary Drying (Secondary Freezing): In this part, the remaining water in the product is removed. For this, the heat is increased further, which triggers the water’s sublimation. Thus, it ensures the product is completely dry and stable.
This technology is widely used in the food industry. For example, fruits and vegetables can be freeze-dried to preserve their fresh taste and nutritional value. It also produces coffee, soup, and other ready-to-eat foods.
One of the most common uses of the lyophilization process is in the health services industry. For example, sperm, erythrocytes, plasma, and serum, as well as some tissues to be used in organ transplantation, can be stored using the lyophilization method due to the ease of long-term storage and transportation. While the benefits of this technology in the health sector are evaluated, medication production with lyophilization is also one of the topics of curiosity.
What are its Applications in the Pharmaceutical Sector?
One of the most delicate products used in the health sector is medications. The storage conditions and durability until the expiration date of the drugs, which are an important part of the treatment process, are of great importance. The pharmaceutical technology that emerges at this stage is one of the effective technologies used in medication manufacturing. It includes the design of various drugs using natural, semi-synthetic, and synthetic active ingredients.
Pharmaceutical technology aims to develop an ideal medication that is more effective, has fewer side effects, and is less toxic. Along with this, freeze dryers for drug development are very important for pharmaceutical technology for delicate operations such as storing and transporting drugs. It is possible to see the applications of this technology in the medication sector in different types.
For pharmaceutical freeze-drying, a formulation is developed, and the lyophilization process is applied. The lyophilized serum is among the lyophilization applications used in the pharmaceutical sector. It is based on the process of freezing substances with liquid nitrogen and drying, and it is carried out at low temperatures. The importance is dried without damaging its molecular and physical structure, so the matter constituting the vaccine does not lose its fundamental characteristics. Thus, the vaccine’s high impact and biological factors are largely preserved.
Biotechnological Products and Lyophilization
Products produced by biotechnological methods are obtained from living organisms. It involves the utilization of living organisms to be beneficial through technology. These applications include proteins, hormones, antibodies, antibiotics, or vitamins for human health. medication development with lyophilization allows the active substance in the products to be preserved in the best way and stored for a long time.
Antibiotics and Lyophilization
The lyophilization technique has been known since ancient times. However, it gained attention in the 1930s. Because during these years, more effective solutions were sought for storing antibiotics and certain blood products. The initiation of preserving antibiotics with the lyophilization method increases the durability of the products, providing benefits for both human health and the health sector. Antibiotics are one of the significant medical products where the drug development technique with lyophilization is used.
Vaccines and Lyophilization
A vaccine is a biological product that gives people immunity against certain diseases. It is stated that these liquids are effective in preventing diseases and eliminating contagious infections. However, they must be correctly produced and stored to maintain effectiveness. Lyophilization is important in the production chain of live vaccines in particular. The lyophilization method is highly advantageous for preserving and transporting these liquids without breaking the cold chain.
Pharmaceutical Development Process with Lyophilization
Today, drugs are divided into two groups, chemically and biologically. Biological medications are drugs used for therapeutic purposes for human health. They are products with bioactivity obtained from living organisms, parasites, or animal toxins in terms of content. They are used for monitoring and treatment purposes for cancer or many diseases. Therefore, drug development with lyophilization is one of the important issues in the health sector.
There are some elements to consider when creating a formulation for this process. Details such as at what temperature and speed it will be frozen and at what pressure and temperature the primary drying will be done are important for medication development with lyophilization.
The packaging after these stages is also crucial. For example, it is essential to ensure that freeze-dried products are protected from moisture. Therefore, the packaging process is very important. The containers containing the product must be sealed without contact with air.
Advantages of Lyophilization Technology
To summarize, lyophilization technology is the process of removing water from the product to be stored. Like all over the world, it is a technique that finds a lot of usage areas for our country’s health and food industries. The advantages of lyophilization technology can be listed as follows:
- Increasing the durability of the products. Because the lower the water content in the product, the less risk of spoilage. Therefore, the shelf life is longer compared to traditional storage methods.
- Reducing water in lyophilization minimizes the weight of the product. This not only facilitates transportation but also reduces transportation costs.
- The products’ content, colour, and taste remain the same in addition to spoilage.
- There is the possibility of obtaining sterile products with lyophilization.
- The usage period of biological products is very sensitive. Therefore, it is one of the most suitable methods for their storage.
Lyophilization may seem technically lengthy; however, it is necessary to have sensitive temperatures and pressure to store dried biological and organic substances. Therefore, drug development with lyophilization is one of the most effective and healthy methods today.
Moreover, this method and the tools used continue to be developed depending on technological advancements. When examining the designed freeze dryer products, the lyophilization systems offered by Liyolife provide you with the most advanced technology.
Quick installation, starting to dry with a single button after preparing the products, sufficient technical support, and maintenance are important features for every industry. Depending on the usage area, you can choose one of our Liyolife freeze dryer products of different volumes and characteristics. For this, you can contact us and get detailed information, and you, too, can benefit from the advantages of lyophilization technology.
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