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Upcoming Events
- ACS Fall
Aug 22-26, Boston, Massachusetts, USA - 3rd EuCheMS Chemistry Congress
Aug 29-Sep 02, Nuremberg, Germany - 4th International SAXS/GISAXS Workshop (PDF)
Sep 09-11, Leoben, Austria - Navigated Atomic Force Microscopy - N8 NEOS
Sep 15, Free Webinar - 17th Bruker Users‘ Group Meetings 2010 - Single Crystal X-ray Diffraction (PDF)
Sep 20-22, Karlsruhe, Germany
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Pharmaceuticals
- D8 DISCOVER with GADDS HTS
Central to pharmaceutical research, development and production activities is the accurate and reliable analysis of all substances. Traditionally, non-destructive analytical methods using x-rays have been of essential importance for this task. Additionally, new and hot R&D topics such as nano-agents or nano- emulsions, screening of syntheses or agents can benefit from the possibilities that x-ray methods offer.
The applicable x-ray methods are x-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), single-crystal diffraction of biological and chemical crystals (SCD), small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS), and x-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF). They are of varying importance for the different steps of the pharmaceutical value chain, from drug discovery through drug development and production.
X-Ray tools for drug discovery
For the drug discovery process, x-ray methods help to identify new leads and to validate new targets. Automated crystal growth with our Crystal Farm generates an appropriate number of targets that are then suitable for crystallographic structure determination with a X8 PROTEUM or KAPPA APEX II system. Crystalline phase identification, high-throughput polymorph screening (HTS) and determination of the active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) can be performed with our powder diffraction systems: the D8 DISCOVER with GADDS in high-throughput mode, the D8 FOCUS and the D8 ADVANCE.
X-Ray tools for drug optimization
Lead optimization, morphology, polymorphism, and environmental conditions are all major factors for drug and process development. Single-crystal as well as powder diffraction methods are of essential importance because they are unambiguous and non-destructive. The APIs or the formed tablets remain unharmed, so that investigation results can be directly used for patent applications for securing intellectual property (IP). The D8 DISCOVER with GADDS CS/CST enables high-throughput polymorph or salt screening of combinatorial libraries. Additionally, SAXS with the NANOSTAR can be used to investigate the drug delivery process and the solubility. Non-ambient chambers allow in-situ investigations of changes in the substances while changing temperature or/and humidity.
X-Ray tools for drug production
Quality control and monitoring the solid state properties of the APIs and fillers is the task of production. XRD and XRF methods can help to keep track of quantitative crystalline phases and polymorphic contents as well as chemical compositions. Fully-automated XRPD and XRF solutions are provided by the D4 ENDEAVOR, the S4 PIONEER and the S8 TIGER respectively.
X-Ray tools for authenticity tests
- S2 PICOFOX
The characterization of brand drugs and their generics is an essential task in pharmaceutical analysis. Currently, the determination of chemical drug composition and trace elements is not solved satisfactorily. The use of methods like atomic adsorption spectroscopy (AAS) or inductively-coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) is often restricted by sample quantity, the necessity for sample digestion and matrix-related difficulties.
With total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (TXRF) sample quantities of even below one milligram can be analyzed for their trace element distribution. The S2 PICOFOX TXRF spectrometer permits qualitative and quantitative fingerprint analyses for authenticity tests of drugs. As this method is based on internal standardization, no standards for external calibration are required. Samples of unknown composition can be screened quickly without any restrictions due to matrix effects, calibration ranges or the presence of undissolved particles.