The lyophilization process primarily consists of three stages. The first stage is freezing, which involves freezing the product and creating a solid matrix suitable for drying. This step impacts the drying characteristics of the next two stages. The second stage is primary drying, sometimes preceded by an additional step called annealing or thermal cycling. Primary drying involves the removal of ice through sublimation by reducing the pressure of the product environment while maintaining the product temperature at a low target level. The third stage in the process is called secondary drying, in which bound water is removed until the residual moisture content reaches its targeted level.