Clariant announces global availability of new animal-free MEVOPUR
The new ‘animal free’ products, the latest additions to the MEVOPUR line, are a key part of the continued response by Clariant (clariant.com) to the evolving demands of masterbatch and compound users in the pharma and medical device industries, where products come into contact with medication and body tissues.
According to Steve Duckworth, Head of the Clariant Medical & Pharmaceutical Masterbatches segment, concern about the use of animal-derived ingredients in polymers first emerged after the outbreak of ‘mad cow disease’ or BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy). BSE is one of a class of animal diseases known as Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy, or TSE, caused by tiny particles, or prions, in tallow and other animal by-products that are the basis for a number of polymer ingredients. Concern grew when scientists found that similar prions can cause a rare neurological disease in humans called variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease (vCJD). To meet these concerns Clariant joined the polymer industry in developing and introducing products based on certified ‘BSE-TSE free’ raw material ingredients.