AST's Life Sciences Group is focused on delivering customized turnkey solutions for the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical, and life science research industries. The Life Sciences Group understands the regulatory environment and is continually striving to provide innovative technologies and solutions that maximize product quality and productivity, while minimizing risk to patient safety.
Aseptic Processing / Filling
In order to meet an ever increasing demand for machinery to fill a diversity of drug products in a variety of delivery systems, AST has developed the Robotic Filling System (RFS). The RFS utilizes robotics, vision, and automation to provide a fully flexible robotic cell. The RFS aseptically fills and finishes a large variety of pre-sterilized, ready to fill, drug delivery devices and containers such as: BD Hypak™ syringes, vials, cartridges and IV bags. By filling pre-sterilized product containers, the RFS minimizes cleanroom space and the need for expensive upstream equipment required for washing, sterilization and depyrogenation.
The Robotic Filling System is ideal for personalized medicines, therapeutics, orphan drugs, vaccines, cytotoxic materials, clinical, and preclinical products. The RFS is the simplest solution for any organization looking to increase their product and container filling capabilities, without purchasing multiple machines dedicated to a particular product or container type. The RFS machine can be a cost effective alternative to contract filling services and typically offers a rapid return on investment.
Robotics & Automation
The Life Sciences group recognizes the industry trend towards developing highly active and potent compounds in pharmaceutical drugs and biotherapeutics. These potent products increase the need to protect the production personnel from risk of exposure to the active pharmaceutical ingredients, as well as the potential health consequences of routinely performing ergonomically taxing tasks in glove boxes and isolators. Additionally, personnel in and around the aseptic process are the greatest source of contamination to the sterile product, and represent the greatest amount of variability to a validated process. To help our customers in mitigating exposure and contamination risks (and comply with ever increasing regulatory challenges), the Life Sciences Group provides robots, vision systems, and custom automation for cleanrooms, Restricted Access Barrier Systems (RABS), and isolators.
Though we work with a variety of major robot manufacturers, the Life Sciences Group has selected Staubli and Fanuc Robotics as strategic partners because of their industry leading technology, product compatibility with Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide (VHP) sterilization and customer support. As an Authorized Staubli and Fanuc Robotics Integrator, AST has been able to tap into the training and technical expertise necessary to make robotic integration a success.
Fluid Process Systems
The Life Sciences Group provides custom designed process systems for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and biofuels industries. Our engineers use 3D modeling to design your skid system to meet your particular process needs and facility restrictions. Our systems are designed to precisely control and monitor your process reliably for safe and efficient manufacturing. AST strives to provide the highest quality fabrications and systems by incorporating ASME Bioprocessing Equipment (BPE) standards, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), and Good Automated Manufacturing Practices (GAMP).
Lab Automation
The Life Sciences Group utilizes its expertise with robotics, automation and controls to assist researchers, scientists and engineers who conduct research, develop new technologies, and therapeutic products. Our engineers can help you by integrating technologies that will increase productivity, elevate experimental data quality, reduce lab process cycle times, or enable experimentation that otherwise would be impossible to conduct.
Confidentiality
Many of AST's projects are proprietary in nature. We understand the importance of the competitive advantage that can be achieved with custom automated equipment. AST is careful to respect each customer's need for confidentiality. We maintain an access controlled "skunk works" area for sensitive projects as well as controlled servers to protect our customers' most sensitive intellectual property. In addition to specific training, key employees undergo background checks and all employees sign non-disclosure agreements before coming on board.
