The desiccants offered by the company are also suitable for use in Covid-19 test kits
Desiccare is offering various desiccants for use in diagnostic test kits, including Covid-19 test kits. (Credit: PRNewswire / Desiccare, Inc)
Desiccare, a provider of controlled atmospheric packaging solutions, has launched various desiccants for use in diagnostic test kits and pharmaceutical products.
The desiccants, which can also be used in Covid-19 test kits, will help test kits to remain effective during shipping to and from laboratories.
Desiccare stated that it is offering customised desiccant solutions for pharmaceutical companies focused on researching vaccines to fight Covid-19 pandemic.
The desiccants will enable the firms to keep the swabs and cotton used within the test kits mostly in a dry condition for better collection of wet samples for several diagnostic tests.
Abbott Laboratories is currently using Desiccare’s molecular sieve desiccants for its Covid-19 rapid identification testing, which can reveal results within five minutes.
Desiccare provides absorber products, including Pillow Pak, Strip Pillow Pak and O-Buster oxygen absorber.
Pillow Pak desiccants are used for pharmaceutical, medical devices, medical products, nutraceuticals and test kits to maintain the integrity of their products until they reach the end customer. The company offers Pillow Pak in silica gel, clay, molecular sieve, and activated carbon forms.
Strip Pillow Pak, which can be cut and inserted directly into any packaging, has been developed for use with desiccant insertion machinery that uses light sensors.
Automating desiccant insertion will facilitate dispensing speeds of up to 300 pieces per minute, thereby helping the firms to decrease production times and increase manufacturing efficiency.
O-Buster products are designed to absorb oxygen levels ranging from 15cc to 3000cc to protect products from undesirable effects such as oxidation and changes in colour and taste.
Desiccare CEO and president Ken Blankenhorn said: “When we started speaking with firms battling the pandemic on the front lines, we understood quickly that supply chain challenges were likely to be a major roadblock in the efforts to combat Covid-19.
“Understanding the importance of keeping test kits and many medications in an environment free of moisture, we prepared early to increase capacity and inventory of raw materials in order to stay ahead of demand.”
In June 2019, speciality chemicals company Clariant introduced a new range of rigid desiccant cards for healthcare packages.