The pharmaceutical industry has been pursuing the implementation of Green Chemistry principles for over ten years through the efforts of the ACS Green Chemistry Institute Pharmaceutical Roundtable (GCIPR). During this time, the industry has evolved from a small molecule-focused approach to include large molecules, termed biologics, which are a diverse group of compounds including peptides, protein therapies, and monoclonal antibodies.  Biologics are typically manufactured by living cells and are therefore generally seen as environmentally benign as compared to small molecules.  However, bioprocesses consume large amounts of water and energy and can thus benefit from the adoption of applicable Green Chemistry principles.  This presentation will cover specific initiatives within Genentech’s Green BioPharma program to reduce the environmental impact of biologics.  As a members of the GCIPR (through its parent company Roche), Genentech participates in the BioPharma Focus Group, which is centered on improving the process engineering and manufacturing of biologics. The presentation will describe the creation of a standardized Process Mass Intensity metric to measure the environmental impact of biologics in terms of water, raw material and consumable use.  Benchmark results from GCIPR member companies will be presented highlighting unit operations with heavy resource consumption, and identifying areas for improvement and optimization.<br/>

Biologics: The new frontier for green chemistry in the pharma industry

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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