Analytical Spectral Devices, Inc. (ASD), manufacturer of precision analytical instruments for real-time, field based material identification and verification, announced today that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued Patent Number 7,006,214 related to ASD’s innovative solution, RxSpec® technology. “This is ASD’s seventh patent covering pharmaceutical verification and the second patent specifically related to our RxSpec® drug verification solution” says Dave Rzasa, President and CEO. “These patents further strengthen ASD’s leadership position in providing solutions to furthering pharmacist productivity, while at the same time combating counterfeits.”
ASD’s patented RxSpec® technology utilizes a combined visible and near infrared spectroscopy inspection system to directly check the prescription drug while in the dispensing vial. The real-time measurement is sensitive to chemical composition, color, and dosage level. The measured “chemical fingerprint” is compared to an extensive known database, thereby providing absolute assurance that the dispensed drug is correct in both type and concentration, regardless of similarity in appearance. In seconds, RxSpec® technology verifies the identity and dosage of a prescription drug dispensed by a pharmacy, thereby reducing potentially harmful filling errors, as well as detecting counterfeit drugs. And because RxSpec® technology is non-destructive, it can be used to inspect 100% of the prescriptions prepared by a pharmacy.
ASD currently has systems installed at two large central fill and mail order pharmacies which have verified several million filled prescriptions very successfully. With the systems currently in operation, combined with the installations at the two new Department of Veteran’s Affairs Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacies in Chelmsford, Massachusetts and Tucson, Arizona, ASD will continue to grow an already extensive library of unique spectral fingerprints of the most commonly dispensed prescription drugs.
“RxSpec® technology is the first real tool to automate the time consuming and labor intensive manual verification process used in virtually every pharmacy. The technology is applicable in all pharmacy environments, including central fill, mail order, retail, and hospital pharmacies,” says Dr. Brian Curtiss, Chief Technology Officer. “While ASD’s current systems have focused on verification of solid dosage pharmaceuticals in high volume pharmacies, ASD has versions of the RxSpec® system in development for a wide range of additional dosage forms, including injectables and IV solutions.”
About ASD
Founded in 1990, Analytical Spectral Devices manufactures cost-effective, precision, transportable and field-portable, laboratory-quality Vis/NIR spectrometers, spectroradiometers, spectrophotometers and corresponding software and accessories. ASD’s instruments perform well in a range of environmental conditions, in and outside the laboratory, and have applications in pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, analytical chemistry, mining, grain, food and dairy, remote sensing, pulp and paper industries world-wide.