Compact, Easy-to-Use Steritest™ Symbio Pumps from Merck Millipore Leverage Industry Leading Technology for Improved Sterility Testing

- Improves workflows and increases reliability with new ergonomic design

- Enables reproducible testing with step-by-step onscreen guidance

- Continues Merck Millipore legacy as the pioneer of sterility testing

DARMSTADT, Germany, Aug. 28, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Merck Millipore, the Life Science division of Merck, has launched Steritest™ Symbio Pumps for easier, safer and more reliable sterility testing of pharmaceutical products in laminar flow hoods, isolators and clean rooms. The Steritest™ Symbio Pumps were developed to address stringent pharmaceutical testing requirements. The launch continues Merck Millipore's 40 year legacy of providing groundbreaking sterility testing products.

"The Steritest™ Symbio Pumps are the newest addition to our comprehensive portfolio of innovative and reliable sterility testing products," notes John Sweeney, Head of Lab Solutions, Merck Millipore. "Sterility testing is a critical aspect of pharmaceutical production and necessary for the release of sterile products to market. To help our customers through this process, we continue to leverage our strong legacy and expertise in sterility testing to offer cutting-edge solutions for pharmaceutical professionals."

The compact housing design of the Steritest™ Symbio Pumps allows easier access in laminar flow hoods and enables compatibility with vertical and horizontal air flows. The new design also frees working space and increases loading capacity in isolators, improving workflows and efficiency.

The ergonomic pump head ensures quick introduction of filtration units and removes the risk of pinched gloves. Its automatic closure provides repeatable tubing placement, and thus reliable splitting of the liquid sample. The buttons are designed for operation with isolator gloves. In addition, the pump is easy to clean and resistant to gas decontamination in isolators.

Steritest™ Symbio Pumps feature a highly precise timer function enabling small volumes to be sampled with accuracy. Two canister pressure detection modes are programmed to alert the operator, reducing the risk of test interruption and maximizing efficiency.

"Sterility testing can be time-consuming and impacted by variability in user technique," notes Olivier Mazille, Product Manager Sterility Testing. "By incorporating a compact, easy-to-use design and step-by-step onscreen guidance, Steritest™ Symbio Pumps increase reliability, improve workflows and maximize convenience for operators."

The dedicated test management software allows easy creation and management of test methods and simplified pump memory updates. The test methods library stores up to 250 filtration protocols ensuring test method reproducibility and saving time. Additionally, operators are given step-by-step assistance throughout the testing procedure.

A comprehensive range of services, such as installation and training, validation protocols and IQ/OQ services help to ensure compliance.

Additional Resources
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For more information about Steritest™ Symbio Pumps
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40 years of Merck Millipore sterility testing

About Merck Millipore 

Merck Millipore is the Life Science division of Merck KGaA of Germany and offers a broad range of innovative, performance products, services and business relationships that enable our customers' success in research, development and production of biotech and pharmaceutical drug therapies. Through dedicated collaboration on new scientific and engineering insights, and as one of the top three R&D investors in the Life Science Tools industry, Merck Millipore serves as a strategic partner to customers and helps advance the promise of life science.

Headquartered in Billerica, Massachusetts, the division has around 10,000 employees, operations in 66 countries and 2013 revenues of €2.6 billion Merck Millipore operates as EMD Millipore in the U.S. and Canada.

Note: Merck KGaA or Merck shall mean Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany