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USC students developing technology for Nephron

Staff Report //August 27, 2019//

USC students developing technology for Nephron

Staff Report //August 27, 2019//

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Two of South Carolina’s biggest universities are helping to develop technology for Lexington County pharmaceutical company Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corp.

University of South Carolina researchers are helping Nephron develop an automation process that fills sterile medication syringes. Earlier this month, Nephron announced a similar partnership with the Clemson University College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Science.

The University of South Carolina College of Engineering and Computing is helping to design and implement the syringe-filling automation process. Students from the College of Pharmacy also will be involved in the project.

Previously, syringes were pre-filled by hand, but government regulations have gotten more complex in requiring sterile, automated filling and compounding, according to a news release from USC. Robotic filling exceeds federal guidelines and provides a more sterile and accurate environment, according to the release.  

The college will build a fully functional sterile compounding lab at the McNair Aerospace Center. Students will also develop techniques for sterile, robotic manufacturing processes for drug compounding. They will be using a robot from the university’s corporate partner, Yaskawa-Motoman Robotics, and a Siemens software package called Process Simulate, which was given to the McNair Center and the College of Engineering and Computing in 2017.

Nephron owners Lou and Bill Kennedy are USC graduates, and their $30 million endowment created the Kennedy Pharmacy Innovation Center in the College of Pharmacy.

“Demand for pre-filled medication has exploded in recent years, and our company is responding to the market needs for affordable and accessible life-saving medications in pre-filled syringes,” CEO Lou Kennedy said. 

“This team is a unique collection of talents, not just from engineering, but with advisers from the College of Pharmacy and partners from Office of Economic Engagement as well,” said Ramy Harik of the McNair Aerospace Center, who leads the project design team. “By bringing together a cross-disciplinary team and constantly seeking feedback from Nephron engineers and pharmacists, our students are building a real-life application that, when completed, will be implemented in production. Particularly for our undergraduate students, this type of impactful research experience is invaluable.”

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