FPS is an Italian company specialised in the design and manufacture of micronisation solutions and containment & isolation systems for the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients; it is mainly addressed to chemical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies all over the world. Eighteen years after its foundation, FPS today has three plants: a legal and administrative office in Como, a production plant in Fiorenzuola d'Arda and a commercial office in Philadelphia (US).
The pride and joy of the company is the R&D and Test Centre, recently implemented where three ISO8 clean rooms are available dedicated to the execution of technical micronisation tests for small quantities up to large batches. It is also available a wide range of mills with special configurations for performing dedicated tests and an isolator where it is possible to perform technical tests on highly active products.
With more than 1,200 systems in operation worldwide for handling pharmaceutical substances, FPS presents itself on the market as an international company, extremely flexible and able to adapt to the customer's needs.
During this difficult period, FPS always operating and try to contribute to improve the critical health situation. FPS drew on its vast experience designing similar systems to achieve the best ergonomics, FPS has chosen to concentrate all its efforts on the realisation of these "swab isolators" in a short time, maintaining the high standards of safety and quality.
Inspired by the Korean hospital of Yangji in Seoul idea, FPS has designed and realised the first prototype of Swab Testing Station (STS) to perform the swab for COVID-19 on a high number of potentially infected patients in a few minutes and in total safety, both for the operator and the patient.
The cabins are easily transportable and, once positioned in strategic points, as hospitals entrances, pharmacies, neighbourhoods, squares, public spaces..., it is composed by 2 cabins: while one is used for swabbing the other can be sanitised, and it will allow operatives to perform till 10 swabs in one hour.
The Swab Testing Station (STS) is made by two separated working cabins. Each cabin has side walls in transparent plastic complete with 2 flanges for gloves installed for safe execution of activities inside the cabin from the outside. Glove flanges are provided with a system for safe glove change from the outside of the cabin. The glove support system allows to install many different types of gloves commonly available on the market.
The construction of the structure uses specific technologies adopted for stainless steel in the pharmaceutical industry. The seals for the front and side panels are made of silicon. The back-swinging door has static gaskets to provide a good seal.
A “continuous liner” system is installed on the side wall for the samples to be collected outside.
The cabin is provided with an upper technical area where both the components necessary for the operation and the instruments for control are installed. The technical area is easily accessible for maintenance activities.
The system works under a small negative pressure with the surrounding environment. In this configuration the volume of air escaping the cabin will be extremely minimal. Operators will be allowed to access the internal volume easily and comfortably for the repeated execution of the testing activities.
Each cabin is equipped with pre-filters for inlet air (G4 or a similar) and a HEPA filter to ensure that the cabin air is safe to be released in the environment.
The outlet HEPA filters shall be of the type used in clean rooms. They are inserted in the upper technical area and fixed by an appropriate system.
It's possible to install an automatic sanitisation system is proposed to eliminate the need for the physical presence of any operator in the cabins.
FPS supports the final users and maintenance workers with dedicated training, also by remote connection.
Mr Carlo Corsini, the owner, says: “I’m proud of our team for working together and putting their technical skills at the service of public health on such short notice, working with enthusiasm despite the difficult period we’re all going through".
For more information: www.fps-pharma.com
