- Locking mechanism secures lid during transport from sampling area to inspection area
- Two-way closure system supports efficient detection of aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms
- Suitable for use in isolators and clean rooms
February 12, 2014, Billerica, MA - EMD Millipore, the Life Science division of Merck KGaA of Darmstadt, Germany, has launched lockable ICRplus Settle Plates for viable air monitoring and personnel monitoring in clean rooms and isolators. The new plates are based on the original EMD Millipore ICR Settle Plate technology and provide semi-quantitative determination of microbial contamination. ICRplus Settle Plates feature a new two-way closure system: the "CLOSED" position allows safe transportation and aerobic incubation while the "VENT" position expands incubation for the detection of anaerobic and microaerophilic microorganisms.
ICRplus Settle Plates are filled with Casein Soybean Digest Agar (TSA), which is recommended by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Guidance for Industry (2004): Sterile Drug Products Produced by Aseptic Processing - cGMP. The plates are offered in formulations with neutralizers for the inactivation of disinfectant. Additionally, the plates can be utilized for the detection of fastidious bacteria when used in combination with Chocolate Agar and lecithin, Tween® 80 and histidine (LTH).
"Efficient and reliable environmental monitoring of isolators and clean rooms is essential to support product quality and customer safety," said Yvonne Hochheimer, Product Manager at EMD Millipore. "With our unique two-way closure system of the ICRplus Settle Plates, customers can be assured of safer transport and reliable detection of aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms. The plates also offer the ultimate in convenience with room temperature storage at the site of use and a long shelf life. This translates into decreased storage costs and fewer incoming goods controls and QC testing."
ICRplus Settle Plates are produced under aseptic conditions, gamma-irradiated and triple-bagged, making them optimal for personnel monitoring, passive air sampling and active air sampling with sieve like samplers (e.g., MAS air samplers) in isolators and clean rooms. Furthermore the new products enable inactivation of residual vaporous hydrogen peroxide (VHP) during active air sampling. Each ICRplus Settle Plate contains a data matrix barcode, which allows secure identification of plates and supports the "paperless" lab. The 90 mm plates have a high filling volume of 30 ml, which allows prolonged incubation.
With the new ICRplus Settle Plates, EMD Millipore stands out as the first supplier of a complete portfolio of lockable, ready-to-use settle and contact plates (ICRplus contact plates) for environmental monitoring in the pharmaceutical industry.
For more information about ICRplus Settle Plates
About EMD Millipore
EMD 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, EMD 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 2012 revenues of €2.6 billion. EMD Millipore is known as Merck Millipore outside of the U.S. and Canada.
Note: Merck KGaA or Merck shall mean Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany