New Decontamination Technology Available for Medtech Manufacturing and Sterility Testing

Sterilization Technology Group Inc. (STG) is planning to develop products for the decontamination of isolators, such as sterility testing enclosures and enclosed filling lines for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. STG will manufacture standalone and integrated generator packages along with supplying full validation services.

Cary, N.C.-based STG has secured exclusive rights to use the proprietary and patented Noxilizer NO₂ gas technology. STG is responsible for the development, manufacturing and commercialization of the decontamination generator.

Isolators and other related enclosures are an important part of any life-science company’s manufacturing, quality control and research and development processes, according to a release from STG. The sealed areas are used to produce and/or test products in a decontaminated “germ-free” environment. Examples of typical product containers include: prefilled syringes and vials. Sterilant generators were developed in the late 1980s to provide for a more effective and validatable decontamination process. Today, the majority of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies use technologies based on vaporizing hydrogen peroxide. The NO₂ gas technology has been shown to dramatically reduce aeration time by as much as 85 percent, according to STG, when compared to the older vapor hydrogen peroxide technology while maintaining the necessary standards in the industry with regard to microbial kill and materials compatibility.
 
STG was founded by three industry veterans who were instrumental in the initial launch of the original vaporized hydrogen peroxide generator.

“As 25-year veterans of this industry, we see real advantages the Noxilizer technology has over current process options. We believe customers will not only value the faster aeration times, but are currently looking for a process that is compatible with today’s advanced protein based drugs and biological products,” said Michael Ferguson, business director and a founder of STG. “With the industry experience of William Little, technical director, and James Rickloff, scientific director, also founders, STG has the experience and knowledge to bring a best-in-class product to market.”

“This licensing agreement further validates Noxilizer’s technology and its importance in solving challenges of infection control and decontamination in the life science industry. The Noxilizer team is excited to work with STG as we grow our business in the important isolator market,” says Lawrence Bruder, President & CEO of Noxilizer, Inc.

STG was formed in 2006 to develop and market a superior method for decontamination of sealed enclosures for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology markets. In addition to North Carolina, STG

In the life-science market, Noxilizer provides sterilization services for next generation medical devices and drug/device combination products. The company also sells the RTS 360 NO₂ Sterilization System to life-science companies. In hospitals, Noxilizer is developing a system especially for the sensitive, high-tech equipment increasingly used in minimally invasive surgical procedures. The company was founded in 2004 and is privately held. Noxilizer is located at the University of Maryland Baltimore County Technology Center in Baltimore, Md.