Shimadzu Scientific Instruments (SSI), in partnership with the Enabling Technologies Consortium (ETC), has introduced the Nexera Preparative Supercritical Fluid Chromatography System, next-generation prep SFC system designed to provide the pharmaceutical industry with reliable high-performance semi-prep purification. 

The Nexera semi-prep SFC system is part of SSI’s Nexera UC platform, which accommodates a wide variety of analyses and purifications. The platform is based around the Nexera ultra-high-performance liquid chromatograph. Each Nexera UC semi-prep system is configurable to user specifications in order to optimally perform the desired purification function, including chiral or achiral purifications, single injections, stacked injections and fraction collections from several microliters to liters. 

According to the company, this complete SFC solution reduces the need for costly and hazardous solvents used in normal phase prep LC, while shortening purification run time and dry down time. Technologies include a flexible format combination injector/fraction collector, CO2 pump with integrated chiller that allows for benchtop use, a novel gas-liquid separator (GLS) design to ensure high recovery and low carryover, and preparative software to help streamline operations. 

“The Nexera prep SFC system is an improved purification instrumentation that meets the specifications and requirements of SFC users across the pharmaceutical industry,” said Mirlinda Biba, PhD, principal scientist, Merck & Co. Inc., and ETC lead for this project. “This new-generation system provides improved hardware and software features that answer the pharmaceutical industry’s demand for an efficient and robust prep SFC system.”

“Working with the Enabling Technologies Consortium and hearing the voice of the pharmaceutical industry have been incredibly valuable learning experiences for us at Shimadzu,” said Patrick Fromal, vice presdient sales, Shimadzu Scientific Instruments. “Their insight into what’s truly needed by the industry drove this project forward, and we are very grateful for the opportunity to work with such an amazing team.”