One of the most common types of chemical reactions is a Redox reaction, which stands for reduction-oxidation. This is when a molecule or atom either gains or loses electrons causing them to either bond together or form new molecules. These reactions can cause many changes to materials, pharmaceuticals, and even foods we eat!
Sodium Chloride, more commonly known as table salt, is a great example of Redox. The Sodium atom loses an electron (oxidized) which the Chlorine atom gains (reduced) to then form Sodium Chloride.
Redox reactions are always going on around us and some we can see, others we can’t! Here are two common examples you may encounter through your daily life!
Now that we’ve learned what oxidation is, how does it affect AbbVie and the products we produce for our patients? It turns out that oxidation affects AbbVie from the manufacturing floor all the way to the final drug product! Check out below for some examples on how!
Most pieces of manufacturing equipment, especially for API manufacturing, are made of some type of steel. Steel is a metal alloy (mixture of elements with at least one being a metal) primarily composing of Iron. A big risk with steel is that it is susceptible to rust and corrosion, both of which are forms of oxidation. Choosing the proper materials for equipment protects the patient to ensure any rusting or corrosion doesn’t impact patient safety. It additionally protects the employees operating the equipment! When equipment rusts and corrodes, its mechanical integrity weakens, increasing the risk for a safety incident.
A cleaning validation is proof that the cleaning process removes all potential sources of contamination. It tests that all residues of the product that was manufactured prior and any cleaning agents used in the process have all been removed. Cleaning validation is critical to maintaining patient safety and mitigating cross contamination.
