The comprehensive family of GEA NIRO PHARMA-SD® spray dryers offers the pharmaceutical, biotech, and associated contract manufacturing sectors a versatile, fully scalable line of GMP spray dryers for processing both small molecule pharmaceuticals and biologics.
Backed by decades of GEA experience serving the global pharmaceutical industry, we’ve developed a portfolio of GEA NIRO PHARMA-SD® (PSD) spray dryers, ranging from R&D units for early testing or small-scale production under GMP conditions, up to high-volume GMP production plants for manufacturing at the largest industrial scale. For large-scale installations GEA offers broad expertise in integrating upstream and downstream operations, cleaning systems, and process control system integration.
We’ve listened to our customers worldwide and developed spray drying plants designed to give you ultimate confidence and control when processing even the most challenging of pharmaceutical powders. We deliver what you need:
GEA expertise covers the most demanding pharmaceutical powder applications. In addition to our standardized and customizable GEA PSD systems, the GEA ASEPTIC-SD® spray drying plant has been developed to give you confidence in safe, reliable sterile powder manufacturing. We also have global expertise configuring high containment spray drying plants for processing up to the highest potency level (occupational exposure band (OEB) level 5).
GEA doesn’t just sell equipment. Experts at our European test center for spray drying can work with you to evaluate, optimize and scale up your processes and equipment. At the GEA test center you can configure and test GEA PSD plants, tap into specialist expertise and troubleshoot. You can also work with us to analyze pharmaceutical powder characteristics and properties and integrate upstream and downstream processes.
The GEA PSD series of spray dryers is scalable and fully compatible across the product line, so in-house process development from laboratory scale to commercial production is as seamless and efficient as possible, reducing re-validation efforts and potentially time to market and. Full compatibility across the range also makes it relatively fast to transfer pharmaceutical spray drying technology from collaborators or CMOs already using GEA PSD plants.
The GEA PSD series of spray dryers is designed for cGMP production and can be tailored to meet individual user requirement specifications (URS). Highly adaptable, the PSD plants can commonly be customized to meet advanced production needs with minimal or no modifications to the process setup and control software.
A range of options, components, and add-ons are available to address unique product properties or cleaning requirements.
GEA ASEPTIC-SD® plants are designed to achieve the highest standards of product sterility. These systems are built with fully contained process flows, sterilizable components, and integrated cleaning systems, making them ideal for parenteral applications, such as vaccines, biologics, and other injectable drugs.
GEA PSD plants are also available in high-containment configurations, so you can safely spray dry high potency active pharmaceutical ingredients at containment levels below 1 µg/m³ (occupational exposure limit; OEL). Whether you are designing a new high containment spray drying plant from scratch, or are looking to upgrade an existing standard plant, our technical solutions offer high levels of personal protection and a safe working environment during operation, discharge, and cleaning.
Whatever your applications and existing setup we’ll work closely with you to carry out detailed risk assessments and determine the optimal combination of spray dryer, isolator technology, and standard operating procedures (SOPs).Our portfolio of dedicated PSD plants is designed for safe, cGMP-compliant production. Process and atomization gas pass through HEPA filters before contacting the pharmaceutical product, while exhaust gas is filtered through bag filters and police HEPA filters. The plants operate under slight positive pressure to protect product quality, while a negative pressure design is available for very potent drugs.
GEA’s PSD spray dryers are in addition equipped with certified venturi flow meters, calibrated differential pressure measurements, and automatic fan control. All critical instruments are delivered with manufacturers’ calibration certificates and can be re-calibrated according to customer SOPs.All GEA PSD components undergo factory acceptance testing (FAT) in accordance with Design Qualification (DQ) before delivery to our customers. The comprehensive FAT documentation includes material certificates, welders’ certifications, surface finish measurements, and calibration certificates. Product contact surfaces are made from AISI316 (EN 1.4401/1.4436) stainless steel or higher-grade materials, with gaskets that comply with FDA 21 CFR part 177.
We aim to support great process and equipment performance throughout the lifecycle of your GEA PSD plant. We can let you know about potential upgrades and opportunities for optimization as we continue to develop our technologies, and we also offer a range of configurable service and maintenance packages, to help keep your pharmaceutical spray dryer performing optimally. Why not ask about our GEA Health Check Spray Dryer service, through which we’ll carry out a thorough plant inspection and provide a report with recommended maintenance actions that could help you better maintain the uptime, longevity and efficiency of your GEA PSD equipment.
For decades, spray drying has been applied for powder production by the pharmaceutical industry – also under aseptic conditions. The ASEPTIC-SD® Spray Dryer is perfect for the production of sterile pharmaceutical products such as vaccines, antibiotics and other products requiring aseptic conditions.
Our drying test center offers what we believe is an unparalleled range of equipment, expertise and support for designing and testing spray drying, fluid bed drying, and freeze drying processes for foods, beverages, chemicals and pharmaceuticals.
Inadequate maintenance can lead to safety risks, lower product quality, costly repairs, and reduced equipment life. GEA Health Check Spray Dryer offers a thorough inspection and tailored service report to help you proactively maintain uptime, quality, and longevity.
The innovative process diagnostic and consultant service.
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