Flow Chemistry
Continuous Flow Chemistry
The use of continuous flow chemistry for large-scale processing of pharmaceutical materials is accelerating. Continuous flow manufacture, often referred to as ‘flow chemistry’ or ‘continuous flow’, is a means of undertaking a chemical reaction using a continuous stream of different reagents confined in a pipe or tube, which are then mixed within a continuous device, such as a plug flow reactor (PFR) or continuous-stirred tank reactor (CSTR).
Continuous flow chemistry services at Pharmaron: a core part of our drug substance development and manufacturing capability
Pharmaron has invested heavily in continuous flow technologies, both in the UK and China, ensuring that flow chemistry is embedded end-to-end, across our processes.
Capabilities
By utilising flow chemistry clients can benefit from:
- Improved velocity of delivery (faster process development and tech transfer, easier scalability)
- Enhanced product quality (greater control, fewer impurities)
- Enhanced safety profile (reduced risk of thermal runaway, reduced active volume of gases or high energy materials, limited worker exposure to toxic materials)
- Improved processing economics (better product yield and reproducibility, reduced waste, small footprint)
Customized solutions enable our clients to achieve precise control of their manufacturing process.
Alongside the main-stream flow instrumentation for large-scale reaction processing with solid, liquid and gaseous reagents, Pharmaron offers more niche techniques on multi-kilogram to multi-tonne scale including photochemistry, electrochemistry, ozonolysis, and continuous extraction, separation and distillation, as well as in-line UV, IR, Raman and mass spectrometric monitoring.
Flow Chemistry capabilities at Pharmaron
Process R&D
- Continuous hydrogenation (up to 1 kg/ day)
- Cryogenic -80°C (up to 10 kg/ day)
- High temperature range: 280 °C (up to 20 kg/ day)
- Photoredox (up to 200 kg/ day)
- CSTR (up to 1 kg/ day)
- Pressure range 0 – 50 bar
- Python-enabled automated platform
- Capable process types:
- Photochemical reaction
- Electrochemical reaction
- High temperature/high pressure process
- Cryogenic process
- Solid support reaction
- Continuous hydrogenation
Pilot plant process
- Throughput up to multi 100 kg / day
- Temperature range: -50 – 300 °C
- Continuous separation/extraction/PAT technology
- Pressure range 0 – 60 bar
- GMP-qualified system
- Capable process types:
- High temperature/high pressure process
- Cryogenic process
- Continuous hydrogenation
- Photochemical reaction
Large scale
- Up to 500 kg / day
- Continuous hydrogenation (up to 300 kg/ day)
- Continuous separation/extraction/distillation/crystallization/PAT technology
- Full automation control
- GMP compliance
How can you reap the benefits of a continuous flow chemistry approach?
