Düsseldorf, Tokyo and New York – June 13, 2024 – Asahi Kasei has announced that in April
2024 it began selling a membrane system to produce WFI (water for injection), a type of
sterile water that is used for the preparation of injections. The membrane system was
developed as an alternative to the conventional distillation processes for the production of
WFI by leveraging system design and development capabilities of MicrozaTM hollow-fiber
membrane for water treatment and filtration of liquid products. By reducing the need to
generate steam, this system enables lower CO2 emissions and lower costs in the
production of WFI.
With its MicrozaTM hollow-fiber membrane, Asahi Kasei has provided membrane filtration solutions in
a wide range of fields including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, food processing, environmental
protection, and water treatment. Pharmaceutical water, which is used in the pharmaceutical
manufacturing process, is one application in which MicrozaTM has gained a strong reputation among
customers for its high filtration performance and outstanding technical support.
The WFI membrane system is based on steam-sterilizable ultrafiltration (UF) membranes for water
treatment that have been widely used in the pharmaceutical industry. Being designed by the membrane
manufacturer, the system features a compact form and excellent operability. It offers various
advantages compared to the conventional distillation processes, such as a reduced need to generate
steam, resulting in lower CO2 emissions and energy costs. It also offers a simplified process with no
need for cooling and condensing steam and enables higher water quality to be obtained. Previously
published research with the same membranes (Steam Sterilizable UF Module & System) indicates an
endotoxin removal rate of >99.999% compared to 99.9% with distillation.
By facilitating a transition from the traditional distillation processes to the membrane filtration
processes, Asahi Kasei expects that the new system will allow its customers to reduce CO2 emissions
while producing a stable supply of safer WFI for the pharmaceutical industry.
The system will be exhibited at PharmaLab Expo, June 26–28, 2024, at Tokyo Big Sight, booth #51-
- https://www.interphex.jp/hub/en-gb/about/rd.html
More information on Microza
https://www.asahi-kasei.co.jp/membrane/microza/en
More information on the WFI membrane system
https://www.asahi-kasei.co.jp/membrane/microza/en/solution/pharmaceutical/