Asymchem Green Initiatives
The CDMO of the Future is GREEN.
Every day, Asymchem demonstrates that sustainability, environmental safety, and improving our clients’ bottom line are complementary goals.
Continuous Flow Technology
By applying Continuous Flow technologies in Manufacturing:
- Energy consumption is reduced by 50%
- Floor space is reduced by 70% on average
- Wastes are reduced by 30%-60%
- Yield is increased by 0%-30%
- Personnel cost is reduced by 50%-70%
Greener from End to End
Flow Technology
Asymchem has developed an “end-to-end” continuous process to replace conventional batch process from reaction to workup, with:
- Flow equipment that’s affordable and easy to access
- Modular design for optimal efficiency
- Early deployment expertise, cost/benefit customization
- Phase-appropriate control strategies to mitigate risks
Sustainable Access
Flow Chemistry
For over a decade, Asymchem’s Chemical Engineering Lab (CEL) has led chemistry service solutions developing platforms for process screening, equipment especially designed for process validation and prototype reactors. Applying these advances, we’ve been able to easily judge flow reaction feasibility, transfer new technology to production, and scale-up applications quickly — all while applying GMP requirements.
A Naturally Green Solution
Biocatalysis Technology
Compared to traditional synthetic methodologies, the use of biocatalysis for the manufacture of small molecule active pharmaceutical ingredients is increasingly recognized as a more sustainable alternative, as it can afford superior product quality, reduce environmental impact, and provide access to novel transformations.
- Requires fewer steps
- Is more rapid
- Generates less waste
- Reduces manufacturing costs
- Greatly reduces environmental impact
Library of 900+ Enzymes
Asymchem has a comprehensive platform for applying new enzymes to industrial applications.
- Discovery
- Screening
- Evolutionary Modification
- Immobilization
- Fermentation of new enzymes to industrial applications
Awards
-
Green Factory | 2017
Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China
-
CMO Excellence in Green Chemistry | 2021
Inaugural award from ACS Green Chemistry Institute Pharmaceutical Roundtable
A Cleaner Way to Create New Molecules
Electrochemistry
By conducting lab-based feasibility studies, we can determine whether a redox can be done electrochemically and whether it’s feasible for scale up. Each scope includes selection of appropriate cathode and anode, electrolyte, and other conditions such as concentration and applied voltage. In addition we can manufacture large quantities using flow cell technology.
Advantages
- Alternative to traditional reduction/oxidation reagents that are toxic, expensive and not environmentally friendly
- Access to chemical transformations not traditionally available through typical chemistries
- Reactivity can be “dialed-in” to achieve improved chemoselectivity
- Acceleration of redox steps in a complex catalytic cycle possible
Innovating at Light Speed
Photochemistry
Combining Flow technology with Photochemistry benefits from:
- Better, more uniform irradiation than in batch
- High efficiency and low side reactions
- No costly reagents and catalysts
- Effecient Scale-up
- Efficiencies further multiplied by flow chemistry capabilities
Continuous reactions include:
- Ring-opening
- Photo-redox
- Photo-oxidation
From Scarcity to Abundance
Non-Precious Metal Catalysis (NPMC)
The precious metals typically used as catalysts in pharmaceutical manufacturing — palladium, platinum, rhodium, and ruthenium — keep costs high and efficiencies low. Working in-house and in collaboration with industry and academic leaders, we wanted to find a better way, so we co-founded the NPMC Consortium. In concert, we’ve developed processes and procedures that use non-precious metal catalysis (NPMC) to challenge cost, abundance, sustainability, and waste inefficiencies.
- Active research into less expensive catalysts or enzymes for catalysis
- Ni-catalyzed reductive coupling
- Extends to heterocycles and functionalized alkyl halides
Sharing, Learning, Growing
Collaborations
Recycling when it really counts
Solvent Recovery
Because solvent is almost always the single biggest input in the drug manufacturing process, we’ve focused on optimizing and innovating around solvent recovery. If we can capture, recycle, or reuse solvent we’re increasing process intensification and reducing the environmental impact from operations — even eliminating the need for solvent incineration. Our distillation and unit operations experts ensure the reliable quality of recovered streams. Ultimatelythat also means that our customers are getting the most value out of every input.
- Capture, Recycle, Reuse Solvents
- Increase Process Intensification
- Reduce Solvent Incineration
How can we help you?
Getting Started with Flow
Flow Technology
Reaction Types
- Cryogenic reactions (≤ -20ºC)
- High temperature reactions
(≥ 150ºC) - Diazomethane reactions
- Ozonation reactions
- Oxidation with peroxide
- Nitration
- Photochemistry
- Electrochemistry
- Catalytic hydrogenation reactions
- Preparation and application of Grignard reagent
- Hazardous reactions involving azide or hydrazine compounds
- Reactions with gases including acetylene, ethylene, ammonia, etc
Biocatalysis Services
Our experts can design, optimize and screen enzymes (biocatalysts) based on each project’s specific demands. Biotransformation (enzyme catalysis) is foundational to our manufacturing approach, guaranteed to meet GMP standards, and flexible enough to produce quantities from mg to ton manufacture. Synthetic route development results in a much more cost- effective and green process, taking advantage of the highly selective nature of enzymes, especially as a replacement of chiral precious metal catalysts.
On Site Catalyst Production Supports Full Chemical Process
Understanding the need to move away from proprietary enzymes offered by a single enzyme supplier, at Asymchem we optimize and produce catalysts on site that support the full chemical process. We immobilize each enzyme or modify its properties for maximum efficiency in a manufacturing environment. And because we manufacture and use these enzymes in a single location, we’re able to avoid loss of enzyme activity and enable the application of other advanced technologies.
Enzyme Screening
Asymchem provides multiple enzyme screening kits that target a broad range of biotransformation, offering standalone enzyme screening against specific processes. When customers provide substrates which include analytical method development and process optimization, we will propose alternatives that add more value for less effort.
Enzyme Engineering
By producing enzyme solutions at the same site where the chemical process will be run, Asymchem avoids unnecessary steps making the enzyme suitable for shipment, while ultimately adding value. We can also seamlessly combine the biotransformation step with other technologies for the best overall process. Our enzyme engineering is chemist controlled, meaning our primary focus is to ensure effectiveness in a given step.
Our program features:
- Recombinant expression
- New enzyme development service for a specific substrate, including gene screening, recombinant expression, expression optimization, and evolution
- Enzyme evolution technology
- Rational design: The mutation sites are selected based on the simulated protein three-dimensional structure, for example as site-directed mutagenesis and saturation mutagenesis.
- Irrational design: The mutation is random and diversity of variants is increased, for example error-prone PCR, DNA shuffling, and staggered extension process.
- High through-put screening
- This important part of enzyme evolution determines the efficiency and ability of the enzyme evolution. Asymchem has developed a series of high through-put screening methods for ketoreductase, transaminase, hydrolase, and other classes.
- Enzyme immobilization
- Downstream expertise
- Expertise in adapting and optimizing customized DSP process based on enzyme — soluble and insoluble enzymes/proteins
- Scalable DSP process from lab to production scale with maximum yield and activity
- Experience in handling and scaling up instable and sensitive recombinant protein production
Immobilization Solutions
We offer a variety of enzyme immobilization solutions with the aim of achieving overall efficiency in integrated biocatalysis. Our immobilization platform is customized for enzymes with the purpose of suitability, scalability, and economies in the manufacturing process and offers the following advantages:
- Quick and rational design
- Generic and custom immobilization platforms
- Single enzymes, multiple enzymes, and co-enzymes/cofactors
- Expertise in analysis method development
- Operational stability testing of immobilized enzymes
- PBR / CSTR mode of testing
- Capability from gram to kilo scale
Request Enzyme Kit
Continuous Flow Manufacturing Capacities
| Site | Module | Space/m2 |
| DH1 | 209 | 162 |
| 413 | 540 | |
| 517 | 600 | |
| DH3* | 1 | 840 |
| 2 | 350 | |
| 3 | 780 | |
| FX1 | 1 | 140 |
| 2 | 400 | |
| FX1 | Plant 3 | 60 |
| TJ2 | 401 | 270 |
| TJ3* | 3 | 110 |
Our Published Papers
Enzyme Library
| Enzyme | Asymchem Enzyme Library | Other Available Enzymes in Class | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ketoreductase | 192 | 150 | 342 |
| Transaminase | 434 | 50 | 484 |
| Hydrolase (lipase & esterase) | 150 | 60 | 210 |
| Amino acid dehydrogenase | 86 | 30 | 116 |
| Nitrilase | 38 | 68 | 106 |
| Ene reductases | 50 | 23 | 73 |
| Baeyer-VilligerMonooxygenase | 149 | 96 | 245 |
| Imine reductase | 45 | 26 | 71 |
| Phenylalanine Ammonia Lyase | 40 | 0 | 40 |
| Proline hydroxylase | 58 | 0 | 58 |
| Threonine aldolase | 35 | 0 | 35 |
| Arylmalonic decarboxylase | 25 | 0 | 25 |
| Tyrosine phenol-lyase | 21 | 0 | 21 |
| Hydroxynitrile lyase | 20 | 0 | 20 |
| Amidohydrolase (Amidase & Acylase) | 20 | 0 | 20 |
| Other enzyme | 81 | 104 | 185 |
| Total | 1444 | 607 | 2051 |