Parenteral solutions have required monitoring for particulate levels for a number of years, and the increasing use of alternative therapies such as protein solutions have highlighted the shortcomings of a simple light obscuration particle count. Researchers at GSK’s Protein Therapeutics group have found that Fluid Imaging Technologies FlowCAM dynamic imaging systems allows them to get much more than simple particle counts. The ability to see the actual particles in parenteral formulations, to see their morphology, and to automatically differentiate one type from another marks an important advance in particle analysis. At GSK, imaging particle analysis using FlowCAM is being integrated into its testing program for development of protein-based parenteral drugs. More details on their work can be found at http://www.dddmag.com/article-Safety-Snapshot-5611.aspx

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