- Asahi Kasei has launched a new membrane system for the production of Water for Injection (WFI), offering a more eco-friendly alternative to traditional distillation processes.
- The system, based on steam-sterilizable ultrafiltration membranes, reduces CO2 emissions and costs, simplifies the process, and improves water quality.
Asahi Kasei has launched a new membrane system designed to produce Water for Injection (WFI), a type of sterile water used in the preparation of injections. This innovative system was developed as an alternative to conventional distillation processes, leveraging the design and development capabilities of Asahi Kasei’s Microza hollow-fiber membrane.
The Microza hollow-fiber membrane is renowned for its high filtration performance and technical support, and has been utilised in a wide range of fields, including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, food processing, environmental protection, and water treatment. In particular, it has gained a strong reputation in the pharmaceutical manufacturing process, where it is used to produce pharmaceutical water.
The new WFI membrane system is based on steam-sterilizable ultrafiltration (UF) membranes that have been widely used in the pharmaceutical industry. The system offers several advantages over conventional distillation processes, including reduced CO2 emissions and energy costs, a simplified process with no need for cooling and condensing steam, and improved water quality. Research indicates an endotoxin removal rate of >99.999% with this system, compared to 99.9% with distillation.
“Asahi Kasei’s new system facilitates a transition from traditional distillation processes to membrane filtration processes,” said a company spokesperson. “We expect that this will allow our customers to reduce CO2 emissions while producing a stable supply of safer WFI for the pharmaceutical industry.”
This development marks a significant step forward in the field of contract manufacturing and demonstrates Asahi Kasei’s commitment to providing innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of the pharmaceutical industry. The company’s focus on reducing environmental impact while improving product quality aligns with the broader industry trend towards sustainability and efficiency.
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