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• Reducing solvent use and waste in manufacturing

Case Study

GSK’s R&D site at Research Triangle Park, US, is researching a new drug for the treatment of type II diabetes and metabolic syndrome. The site has developed a new manufacturing process for the drug that reduces waste and solvent use, and eliminates the use of other harmful substances. 

Previous manufacturing processes for the drug were time-consuming and inefficient, involving up to eight steps with low production efficiency. The new process developed by RTP has a number of environmental, health and safety benefits.

The process is quicker, involving just three steps. Solvents are needed to aid synthesis at each step, so fewer steps mean less solvent is required. As a result, the amount of solvent used (and VOC emissions) has been reduced by 70%. The amount of waste produced has also been reduced by 70%. Importantly, the new process avoids the use of harmful alkylating agents which are hazardous.

RTP was awarded second place in the Green Chemistry/Technology category of our CEO's EHS Excellence Awards for this achievement.

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