Chemistry researchers from the University of Bath (Bath) have developed an innovative method that uses blue light to create drugs in a more sustainable way, while significantly reducing the amount of energy required and the chemical waste generated during production
![The reaction uses a catalyst activated by blue LED light [Courtesy: Dr Alex Cresswell]](https://www.hayadan.org.il/images/content3/2022/02/51687102004_afe68acaef_b1.jpg.webp)
[Translation by Dr. Moshe Nachmani]
The synthesis of drugs from the small molecule family requires several separate steps, each of which produces waste products and waste solvents - which are usually toxic and challenging for safe disposal. Today, it is estimated that for every one kilogram of synthesized medicine, an amount of about one hundred kilograms of waste is created, a fact that makes the process very ineffective.
The research team at the University of Bath has developed an innovative method for the synthesis of chemicals containing nitrogen atoms (primary amines) that are used in more than half of all medicines produced. The method uses a catalyst, activated by blue light, in order to speed up the reaction rate, and includes a lower number of steps, a lower amount of energy invested, all while significantly reducing the volume of waste generated in the field of new drug development.
The research team tested the method by synthesizing a drug used to treat multiple sclerosis, a drug called 'Fingolimod' (Fingolimod) or by its generic name 'Gilenya' produced by the company 'Novartis', with worldwide sales amounting to approximately three billion dollars for 2020 The research team published their research findings in the scientific journal JACS.
The main researcher explains: "Preparing medicines can be a very wasteful process, when most of the waste generated is incinerated. Our innovative process for the synthesis of α-trisubstituted primary amines using a single step is a goal that chemists have been striving for for many years. People don't really think about the pharmaceutical industry in terms of carbon emissions, but several studies have concluded that large pharmaceutical companies emit more carbon than the automobile industry. We are really excited that our group is the first ever in the world to achieve this breakthrough, and we hope that in the near future it can lead to the development of more sustainable drug manufacturing processes, while reducing carbon emissions and the amount of waste.
Although the innovative process should not be suitable at the immediate point of time for pharmaceutical companies for the mass production of existing drugs, the research team hopes that the method may speed up the research and development process of new drugs, by easier synthesis of chemical structures intended for examination. Explains the lead researcher: "The goal is to prepare thousands of new histories of known structures for biological testing, so our method provides chemists with a way to link different atoms, a way that did not exist before. This innovation should speed up the discovery process of new drugs."
3 תגובות
This means that they found a way to enrich the deep pockets in advance with more public funds.
A. Agree with the first commenter
B. It's nice and beautiful and interesting and optimizes and perhaps reduces processes, but this is the very, very small part of the potential. The potential in this industry, as in most industries, is coupling one's waste to another's process. Either directly or through a third party that assists in the conversion.
It will not really reduce the costs of the drugs..
It will only create a profit margin for the larger pharmaceutical corporations.