Watson-Marlow Flexicon PF7+ peristaltic filling pump

Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group (WMFTG) launches the Flexicon PF7+ intuitive peristaltic filling pump to provide a no-waste solution and 21 CFR compliance for critical aseptic final fill applications. The pump is designed so that high-value products such as ATMPs, vaccines, and cell and gene therapies are protected from contamination and damage to viability. It is suitable for every stage of biopharmaceutical therapy development: from research and development to clinical trials and small batch production.

The final fill pump 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. It is set up with dynamic recalibration to automatically adjust if a series of consecutive fills deviates too far from the fill target. It 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 features allow for precision filling from as low as 0.2 mL and repeatable filling accuracies of better than ±0.5%. With gentle pumping action that eliminates foaming, splashing or dripping, overfilling is prevented.

With its high levels of product and production repeatability, the pump offers electronic batch reporting via Ethernet or USB and live audit trails via Ethernet for improved process traceability. This remote connection also removes the need to enter the cleanroom, reducing risk of contamination. The pump uses peristaltic technology to remove the risk of potential cross-contamination; only the inner bore of the pump’s tubing comes into contact with the fluid, and the low-shear, gentle pumping action means the product is transferred efficiently without compromising viability or quality.

The pump’s simple set-up and reduced user interaction, combined with easy-to-clean surfaces, an ergonomic design and clear and intuitive display, facilitate its use even when gowned up in cleanroom environments. The addition of a USB keyboard further improves user experience and reduces risk of error, with the capability to define recipe parameters to improve repeatability.