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Solvent-free, fewer steps, more sustainable

The enzymatic technology behind our PureActives® range allows our customers to dramatically reduce their environmental footprint while eliminating the use of aggressive solvents.

During the PureActives® process, we use our own enzymes to modify our molecules and couple the side chain to make 6-APA or 7-ADCA molecules. Unlike traditional chemical production processes, all this takes place at ambient temperatures (requiring less energy) and without the use of harmful solvents. This reduces the impact of production on human health as well as the wider environment.

Traditional beta-lactam antibiotic production processes involve 13 steps. Each step has an impact on the environment. As well as removing the need for solvents, our solution reduces the number of production process steps – by more than 50% in some cases – slashing the use of energy and raw materials.

The proven sustainability impact

The sustainability benefits of combining more natural processes, reduced natural resources and fewer steps are scientifically proven. Our Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) reveals that our PureActives® technology enables a 63% reduction in our carbon footprint compared with the traditional chemical process. 

Reducing the risk of AMR

High concentrations of antibiotic residues in factory wastewater often lead to hotspots of resistant bacteria. As a global leader in penicillin antibiotics, Centrient Pharmaceuticals works hard to ensure responsible production and avoid contributing to anti-microbial resistance (AMR), starting with our investments in state-of-the-art wastewater technologies.

Meanwhile, as part of our company-wide Sustainable Antibiotics programme, we’ve developed an innovative method of detecting antibiotic activity levels in treated wastewater as low as 50 parts per billion (equivalent to 50 mg per 1,000 litres). This rigorous process has been in place across our global sites since 2016.

Moreover, we recently launched Project PNEC, designed to achieve full compliance with the safe discharge targets developed and adopted by the AMR Industry Alliance. The Predicted No-Effect Concentration (PNEC) refers to the concentration of antibiotics in water at which there is unlikely to be any adverse environmental effect or risk of antimicrobial resistance developing. 

Our goal is to meet the PNEC target values for all wastewater streams, including at our supplier sites, by 2021. Our largest portfolio, the Semi-Synthetic Penicillin API range, already meets these targets.