Lek receives TARAS award for the best collaborative project in industry

“The TARAS award means a lot to us as it acknowledges that we are innovative. The project Artificial Stomach involved excellent cooperation between our development center, the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and later also the Faculty of Pharmacy. The challenge was mainly how to create a relatively simple and robust device that mimics the complex movements of the stomach. We succeeded to replicate this by using a system with shutters that was proposed and developed by the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. I would also like to thank the Faculty of Pharmacy where the postgraduate students are now upgrading and improving the functioning of the device which will enable even greater applicability,” said Igor Legen, PhD, Head of Dissolution Sciences at Lek’s Development Center Slovenia.

TARAS award for the artificial stomach

The winners received the TARAS award for a successful cooperation in the development of the Artificial Stomach project for analysis and guidance in the development of complex solid dosage forms. As described by the organizers of the forum, Lek developed an innovative device, a simulator, which was the result of the cooperation between the business sector and the scientific-research community, and with an additional multidisciplinary element, requiring combined knowledge from the field of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science as well as pharmacy. 

“This is a technically complex device, its uniqueness and advantage lie in the originality of the direct imitation of dimensions and rhythmical contraction and expansion of the stomach or hydrodynamic and mechanical conditions within the stomach that can be key for the release of active ingredient from solid dosage forms. This enables the testing of a generic and reference medicine under biorelevant conditions,” explained the panel in the justification for the selection of the winner.

Apart from Lek, two other finalists were nominated for the TARAS award. These were Iskra ISD Plast and the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, for the project Development of a Polymer Oil Separator Element for the Automotive Industry; and Plastika Skaza and the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maribor, for the development of an advanced system for the separation of waste secondary transparent polycarbonate raw material.

»The top experts, not only in Slovenian industry but also in society at large, are increasingly highlighting the importance of industry, engineering and innovation for the development in all countries. Without being creative and innovative we would stagnate therefore we should be grateful to all those who take care of technical progress as this reflects the degree to which our society has advanced,« commented Darko Švetak, Head of the Industrial Forum IRT Organizing Committee, at the event.