Advanced Lyophilization Technology Consortium for Manufacturing of Food, Pharmaceuticals and Biotech Products (ALTC)

Goal: Assemble an expert panel of consortium members from the field of lyophilization (freeze-drying) to develop a technology roadmap that will identify critical challenges and strategies for innovation for the food and pharmaceutical manufacturing industries.

Lead: Purdue University
575 Stadium Mall Drive
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2091

Award Number: 70NANB15H067

Federal Funding: $453,623

Project Duration: 24 months

Purdue University, in concert with key academic and industry partners, will establish the new advanced lyophilization technology consortium, (ALTC) and conduct technology road mapping.

The objectives of the project are to:

• Form a consortium through the gathering of expert faculty, industry professionals, and other interested parties, host technical meetings, and conduct regular assessments.
• Facilitate the exchange of information through the creation of a consortium website.
• Develop a technology roadmap for collecting background research and consortium member expertise, visiting manufacturing sites, and processing feedback from consortium website.

With increasing threat of offshore activity and rising labor costs, the U.S. food and pharmaceutical manufacturing industry risks losing more than $30 billion. Addressing manufacturing deficiencies is essential to the health and growth of this important U.S. industry. Every American household depends on food and pharmaceuticals on some level. Fine-tuning the lyophilization manufacturing process to make it safer and more profitable is what this project is all about. The result of the consortium will be essential to developing innovative strategies for using lyophilization to improve the safety, quality, and profitability of the U.S. food and pharmaceutical industries.

Food and pharmaceutical products such as protein drugs, vaccines, fruits, and probiotic cultures would not be commercially viable without lyophilization. However, lyophilization is a time-consuming and costly manufacturing process. The project is vital to advancing lyophilization, ensuring its proper and safe regulation, and developing state-of-the-art equipment and best practices.

For project information: Elizabeth Topp, (765) 494-1450, topp [at] purdue.edu (topp[at]purdue[dot]edu)

Funded Participants:

• None

AMTech Project Manager: Jean-Louis Staudenmann, (301) 975-4866, jean-louis.staudenmann [at] nist.gov (jean-louis[dot]staudenmann[at]nist[dot]gov)