Advantest recently declared that Astellas Pharma has adopted Advantest’s THz wave technology-based TAS7500, a terahertz spectroscopic imaging system.
TAS7500 THz Spectroscopy/Imaging System (Photo: Business Wire)
The TAS7500 system provides safe and non-destructive, contact-free spectroscopic analysis and imaging of the internal composition of pharmaceutical products. Using this system, pharmaceuticals in solid, liquid, or powder form can be analyzed, while chemical constituents, crystalline forms, density, and other characteristics can also be evaluated. The system can generate 2D and 3D images of cross-sections of multi-layer tablets, and tablet coating layer thickness and density distribution.
Pharmaceutical firms are progressing in the formulation of complex products like developing multi-layer tablets for more effective release of active ingredients. Rapid analysis of the crystalline forms and chemical constituents of potential pharmaceutical materials remained as a challenge to the manufacturers. This challenge can be overcome by using the TAS7500 featured with improved spectroscopic analysis and imaging functions for simple, quick, high-throughput drug analysis, resulting in rapid R&D and scale-up.
According to Astellas’s Pharmaceutical Research and Technology Labs’ Senior Researcher, Wataru Momose, the compact design of the TAS7500 allows simple installation on a desktop. The system’s constant high-speed measurement capabilities enable selection of spectroscopic analysis like reflection, transmission, ATR and imaging functions.
Advantest’s TAS7500 will be displayed during JASIS2012 (Japan Analytical & Scientific Instruments Show) from September 5 to 7, 2012 at the Makuhari Messe International Convention Complex. It will also be showcased during 2012 AAPS (American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists) Annual Meeting and Exposition from October 14 to 18, 2012, at the McCormick Place, Chicago in the U.S.A.