Medicine tailored for individual patientsLena Heldgaard Pind Jensen2019-06-06T14:31:36+02:00 Medicine tailored for individual patientsWe are helping create new production facilities for Glostrup Apotek, a pharmacy that manufactures magistral medicine adapted to individual needs. There are only two pharmacies in Denmark that still have their own pharmaceutical production. One of them is Glostrup Apotek, which primarily produces magistral medicines. These are medicines that are designed specifically for an individual or very few patients. In this respect, the pharmacy was also the first Danish manufacturer of cannabis pills. The pharmacy is expanding its production, and Artelia is helping to create new facilities that will be established in an existing building. The task also includes the design and planning of new clean rooms. The most complicated room is a new unit for sterile production. Here, the particle number must be extremely low, and people are often the greatest source of contamination. Personnel must therefore pass through two airlocks and change their clothes twice before entering the cleanest room. Sterile production The tailor made ventilation system ensures an extremely sterile environment. This requires overpressure in different pressure gradients, ensuring that no contaminant can enter. Clean rooms are also characterised by the fact that the extraction is located along the floor panels to ensure an optimal circulation. Even the smallest influences may have an impact on the pressure conditions, and therefore the design of the façade is particularly vulnerable to wind and weather. The façade therefore has an integrated hollow space that is ventilated, facilitating control of the pressure and neutralisation of the impact of the wind. All remedies that are brought in must be sterilised in an autoclave, which can best be described as a highly effective washing machine running at 121 degrees for 20 minutes, which kills all organisms. Elimination of cross-contamination Several production units will be built into the new facilities, and cross-contamination will be a key focus area. A carefully planned layout that controls the flow of persons and goods is required, while efficient ventilation systems shall ensure the correct internal pressure conditions between the various production areas, so that there is no unintentional emission or intrusion of particles and other contaminants. Last but not least, it can hardly be surprising that all the rooms are designed and organised so that they are extremely easy to clean.
