A new lyophilization machine will allow the Clodomiro Picado Institute (CPI) of the University of Costa Rica to increase its pulverized antivenom production from 3,000 to 10,000 vials or bottles per batch.

As informed by Dr. Alberto Alape Girón, director of the Clodomiro Picado Institute, the purchase order of the new custom-made equipment has been placed to the company SP Cientific, in the United States.

According to the director, the benefits of this acquisition, which is expected to arrive at the country in October 2014, will allow them to increase the total production of lyophilized antivenom bottles, and produce bigger batches, which reduces costs. Furthermore, their capacity to respond to the demand of countries like Ecuador and Guatemala, which order only lyophilized serums, will also increase,