American tech provider Technobis Crystallization Systems has launched two new modules for the CrystalBreeder, a multi-reactor crystallisation platform for medium throughput solid-state research.
Adding to the success of the original design, the new CrystalBreedermodules provide space for controlled evaporation crystallisation and vapour diffusion. These are more advanced processes that involve carefully controlling vacuum pressures, temperatures, and overhead stirring speeds to obtain X-ray quality single crystals for structural determination of the API.
The two modules sit on top of the bench-top apparatus to keep the equipment compact. Scientists can control the temperature, sampling rates, and stir speeds for all eight disposable block reactors using the software and generate accurate temperature-dependent solubility curves in under four hours. Furthermore, the reactor vials’ shape mimics that of traditional NMR tubes, which are ideal vessels for growing crystals.
“The CrystalBreeder multi-reactor can perform 32 parallel temperature-controlled experiments at working volumes of 0.06 – 0.1 mL, allowing for more advanced experiments, like cooling crystallisation, slurry, and thermocycling, with small amounts of material,” said Dr Carmen Guguta, global head of business development and marketing at Technobis Crystallization Systems.
The CrystalBreeder multi-reactor can perform 32 parallel temperature-controlled experiments at working volumes of 0.06 – 0.1 mL, allowing for more advanced experiments, like cooling crystallisation, slurry, and thermocycling, with small amounts of material
“Because active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are complex, multiple screening processes must take place to provide a better understanding of polymorphic landscapes. The problem is, with ongoing supply chain disruptions and increased pressure on drug developers to deliver innovative products, scientists may only have access to small amounts of compound, so every experiment must be handled with care,” said Guguta.
“Our customers asked us to develop a versatile instrument to carry out rapid complete crystallization, polymorph, and solubility screens with as little as 1 mg of compound. Ultimately, this is necessary to determine the physical, structural, and chemical characteristics of an API, which may affect drug product performance,” concluded Guguta.
The user-friendly software package available with the CrystalBreeder offers research and analysis capabilities without much training required. Scaling up from the CrystalBreeder to a milliliter scale for solubility studies or metastable zone width determination is easy, using Technobis Crystallization Systems’ or Crystalline. The program is automated and predefined temperature profiles, vacuum pressures, and stirring speeds for certain compounds can be uploaded for ease, flexibility, and repeatability.
Upgrading your crystallisation workflow to take advantage of versatile benchtop equipment helps scientists remove guesswork from early-stage solid state screening. With additional capabilities, the complete CrystalBreeder set-up allows scientists to do more, with less material.