For pharmaceutical companies, the opportunities for green chemistry are enormous
5 mins read

For pharmaceutical companies, the opportunities for green chemistry are enormous

“Green” or “sustainable” chemistry has gained momentum since the 1990s. It is based on 12 principles, which include reducing waste at the molecular level, designing energy-efficient chemical pathways and using renewable stocks. It can help pharmaceutical companies reduce emissions and other environmental damage that results from drug development and manufacturing. Below we look at how.

Helps the process

First, by minimizing the use of hazardous chemicals and solvents, or replacing them with renewable alternatives, companies can significantly reduce their environmental impact. For example, Astra Zeneca uses sustainable catalysts for greener chemical reactions. Catalysts speed up reactions and reduce the number of steps required to create an active pharmaceutical ingredient. Some catalysts can reduce the use of environmentally hazardous reagents and reduce the dependence on precious metals.

Green chemistry can also optimize manufacturing processes. If pharmaceutical companies invest in green chemistry, they can get more optimized manufacturing processes. For example, German start-up Dude Chem managed to recycle expensive chiral catalysts and perform reactions in water without having to license “designer surfactants”. This led to an 82% reduction in catalyst cost.

Advances in green chemistry technology, such as continuous reactions, enzyme catalysis, and synthetic biology, are paving the way for more sustainable drug synthesis. These technologies have shown wide applications in production, indicating a promising future for green chemistry in pharmaceutical manufacturing. For example, Astra Zeneca uses AI to predict and optimize chemical reactions. AI can analyze large data sets of chemical reactions and identify patterns, predict reactions and optimize reaction conditions. This in turn can reduce waste, energy consumption and unwanted by-products.

Lack of expertise

However, there is a notable lack of investment in the expertise and technology required to implement green chemistry. Companies may not have the resources or knowledge required to identify and mitigate the environmental impact of their products early in the development process. This gap in expertise can hinder the adoption of sustainable practices.

In addition, AI is used to implement green chemistry. However, pharmaceutical companies must consider the environmental impact of this technology. Yes, the Strategic Intelligence Service Immerse yourself in the environmental impact of data centers shows how AI has significantly increased demand for data centers, which contribute heavily to CO₂ emissions. As regulations become increasingly stringent regarding product safety and environmental impact, adopting green chemistry can help companies stay compliant while managing market pressures. However, it is a double-edged sword: regulations can also hinder the adoption of sustainable practices as companies must ensure compliance with safety standards while meeting market demands. The complexity of regulatory approvals can make it difficult for companies to innovate and implement greener processes.

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