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Antares Vision Group is committed to guaranteeing the integrity of vaccines and tracing each dose through visual inspection and serialization processes of single vials.
The Italian multinational has designed and already installed systems for visual inspection and serialization of the vials on the lines of several pharmaceutical companies.
- Visual inspection allows companies to eliminate human error in quality control, guaranteeing high volumes of inspected vials (up to 400 pieces/min)
- Serialization allows traceability at a global level, reducing interruptions in the supply chain and making the supply chain transparent, a fundamental aspect in the current phase of vaccine distribution.
The latest Antares Vision system is equipped with innovative technologies to allow accurate visual inspection for liquids and/or lyophilized products, Container Closure Integrity Testing, and, in integrated mode, the unique serialization of single doses (in-line printing and control of a data matrix code with visible or UV-visible ink, to share information with health authorities and throughout the supply chain).
The machine is able to perform a wide range of checks: presence of particles inside the product, inspection of foreign bodies, filling level checks, detection of cosmetic and functional defects of the container, and application and verification of the label. Each high-resolution camera is programmed with algorithms enabling recognition of specific defects in both container and content.
Equipped with proprietary image processing hardware, the inspection machine provides advanced statistical analyses that help identify root causes of rejection. With the application of dedicated and advanced technologies, freeze-dried products can also be inspected. This is of particular importance with the use of lyophilized products expected to be adopted in the production of COVID-19 vaccines soon.
“The pandemic has accelerated the use and experience of new technologies,” commented Emidio Zorzella, president and CEO of Antares Vision. “It is very important that people's safety is addressed. Now more than ever, therefore, technology must help to reduce the emergency situation and our contributions aid in vaccine integrity and distribution transparency. With this in mind, we are exploring with IBM and the Linux Foundation how blockchain technology may further secure along the vaccine supply chain."
Greater transparency helps increase trust in safe and equitably distributed vaccines around the world, as evidenced by the latest global surveys. According to World Economic Forum research conducted in 27 countries, only 74% of people say they are willing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, with a significant 26% saying they are "not safe." The U.S. Pew Research Center, on the other hand, found that 77% of U.S. citizens are concerned about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines.
