Flow Strategy at Almac

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Flow Strategy at Almac

Almac’s Flow Assisted Synthesis Technology platform has developed significant expertise in four key areas:

High Pressure
High Energy
Oxidation
Photochemistry

Almac continues to drive innovation within their Department of Technology with additional focus on cannabinoids and flow biocatalysis. Multiple grants support our research platform which allows us to undertake high risk but high reward projects including a Knowledge Transfer Partnership and three Horizon 2020 PhD’s with Queen’s University Belfast and a Science Foundation Ireland Industry Fellowship in collaboration with University College Dublin.

Case Studies

FAST hydrogenation for aromatic nitro reduction

Our client required development of an existing batch transfer hydrogenation to improve downstream processing.

Almac’s solution

Packed bed hydrogenation with rapid screening of in-house pelletised catalyst library, process optimisation and delivery of 1 kg for downstream processing assessment.

Value for the client

Removal of organic solvents from process. Easier product purification due to no catalyst removal issues. Increased control of GTI by-product intermediates.

Michael Addition

Our client required development of a continuous flow process using highly flammable and explosive nitro-alkane building blocks.

Almac’s solution

Following Almac’s standard workflow under Stage 1 using proof of concept micro-reactor equipment, a continuous flow process demonstrating reaction validity was developed in 4 weeks.

Value for the client

Starting from cheap building blocks and utilising continuous flow accessed advanced chiral intermediates.

Moffatt-Swern oxidation

Our client required a process to access a ketone intermediate by selective oxidation. Batch process required cryogenic temperatures which were not scalable.

Almac’s solution

Almac took advantage of highly efficient heat transfer in the micro-reactor channels which superseded the limitation of cooling capacity typical of batch vessels. Process was demonstrated at lab scale.

Value for the client

Exploitation of continuous flow circumvented the need for cryogenic temperatures, controlled impurity profile due to less accumulation of activated DMSO and facilitated timely delivery of product.

Photoisomerisation

Our client required delivery of 12 kg of a high potency API where the final step was photoisomerisation under cGMP manufacture.

Almac’s solution

Develop a full GMP process with a UV flow through cell to circumvent typical scale up limitations associated with batch photochemistry including screening of filters to set specific wavelengths of light for irradation.

Value for the client

Delivery of API to cGMP manufacture target specification for clinical trials.

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