Almac Group Adopts Continuous Flow Technology

Expansion of Technology Capabilities

Almac Sciences, part of the Almac Group, has expanded its technology capabilities within its Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) services and chemical development portfolio. This expansion includes the implementation of continuous flow expertise at its global headquarters in Craigavon, UK, with plans to introduce flow capacity at Arran Chemical Company in Athlone, Ireland.

Advantages of Continuous Flow Manufacture

Continuous flow manufacture is an innovative technology platform gaining momentum in the pharmaceutical industry, supported by the FDA for API production. It offers significant improvements in product quality, process safety, and reduction in plant footprint, and enables chemistry that is difficult or impossible in batch mode.

4-Year Strategy and Focus Areas

Almac Sciences has outlined a 4-year strategy to develop Flow Assisted Synthesis Technology (FAST), focusing on high pressure hydrogenations, high energy chemistry, oxidation, and photo-redox LED mediated chemistries. To support this strategy, Almac Sciences has received a Knowledge Transfer Partnership from Innovate UK for developing novel routes to chiral amines using flow technology.

Collaborative Efforts and Funding

Arran Chemical Company, in collaboration with Queen’s University, Belfast, has secured a Horizon 2020 funded program to support four PhD studentships over the next four years, starting in 2019, in line with the FAST strategy. These efforts aim to develop highly flexible, robust, and efficient flow technology platforms for continuous manufacture, benefiting clients seeking high-quality pharmaceutical synthesis.