New flow chemistry technology has demonstrated the potential to enable large-scale synthesis of drug compounds in Australia, paving the way for onshore production.
In times of significant supply chain disruptions, flow chemistry technology could provide Australia with a competitive edge and secure the supply of critical active pharmaceutical ingredients.
The demonstration came as a result of a collaboration between Melbourne-based Boron Molecular and innovation specialists DMTC Limited, with support from Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO.
Boron Molecular CEO, Dr Oliver Hutt, said the project is a prime example of empowering the Australian industry to address significant challenges rapidly.
“Our work provides a comprehensive blueprint for stakeholders to assess the feasibility of this technology. We’re continuing to work with DMTC and have identified compelling niche areas where this technology could be applied to benefit Australia,” said Hutt.
Flow chemistry, which involves continuous chemical reactions in a pipe or tube, offers significant advantages over traditional batch processing.
These include improved energy efficiency, waste reduction, enhanced safety in manufacturing, a smaller infrastructure footprint, and the ability to adjust production volumes to meet demand.
Dr Felicia Pradera, head of the Health Security Systems Australia (HSSA) division at DMTC, said the project success holds great importance in demonstrating the scalability of the flow chemistry process.
“Speed of response is critical in developing sovereign manufacturing capability, but it’s far from the only measure. The team has worked diligently to ensure that technical rigour, quality control, and cost-effectiveness have been front-of-mind considerations at every step,” said Pradera.
Pradera said broader benefits of DMTC’s collaborative model include upskilling the Australian workforce and supporting brilliant young researchers.
Hutt also highlighted the invaluable project management competencies provided by DMTC, which enabled the successful delivery of this project.
The collaboration with CSIRO and the embedding of researchers at CSIRO’s FloWorks facility have significantly upskilled Boron Molecular’s researchers and provided access to world-class flow chemistry expertise.
