Innovation & Sustainability in Process Chemistry

Bringing a new drug to market is an extremely long, expensive and risky process. Ten to fifteen years are usually needed since the starting stages of research, with an overall cost estimated more than two billions USD and with a very low success rate. Moreover, the drug discovery process is getting complicated by several requirements to be fulfilled: some examples are less promiscuous drug inhibitory profiles to improve safety, simplified dosing regimens for higher patient compliance, personalized medicine to increase therapeutic efficacy and more environment friendly synthetic processes for API production.

Taken these premises, the pharmaceutical industry is under forceful pressure to find novel solutions to Innovate processes faster and more efficient and increase the percentage of commercialized drugs. This is particularly true for the chemical part of the process since chemistry is fundamental for both preclinical and clinical phases. During the preclinical to support the exploration of the molecular space for the identification of the clinical candidate while in clinical phase to support the process chemistry for the manufacturing of API up to the eventual market landing. In this contest, Innovation and Sustainability are two essential paradigms to design the drug discovery process of the future.

CHIESI R&D Departments

Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Design Technologies (MCDDT) Department is part of Global Research and Preclinical Development Area and is formed by enthusiastic scientists at the crossroad of multiple disciplines, building the bridge between biological targets and patients’ needs through innovative chemistry & technologies, imagining and creating tomorrow’s drugs.

Drug Substance Development Department (DS Dev) is part of Global Research and Global Technical Development area. The Department works to identify and optimize fit-for-purpose processes and analytical methods for the production and characterization of active ingredients in Chiesi's R&D pipeline, scaling the processes in our GMP pilot plant and at our CDMOs commercial partners, up to and including the validation phase. We also support the Chiesi General Manufacturing Division and Procurement for lifecycle management and troubleshooting of API processes used in our commercial products.

University of Parma

The Department of Chemical, Life, and Environmental Sustainability Sciences (Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, della Vita e della Sostenibilità Ambientale) seamlessly integrates research, education, and societal impact, the cornerstones of university life. The collaboration among researchers and faculty with diverse and high-level expertise has laid the foundation for innovative and integrated approaches to major environmental challenges. These interdisciplinary approaches range from chemistry to biology, and extend to the natural and geological sciences, investigating matter, its transformations, living systems, and natural resources. Particular attention is paid to the sustainable use of environmental resources, with the aim of training responsible graduates who are aware of the challenges of the future. Dissemination and technology transfer, the heart of the third mission, leverages the Department's rich cultural heritage to enrich the community, institutions, and the productive fabric of the region. The Department has been awarded the grant ‘Departments of Excellence’ of the Italian Ministry for University and Research twice (MIUR, 2018–2022 and MUR, 2023–2027).

scvsa.unipr.it

www.eccellenzascvsa.unipr.it

Day 1 | 5-11-2024

• 08:15
  Registration
• 9:00
  Opening Remarks
  Dr. Diego Ardigò (Global R&D Head, Chiesi Farmaceutici SpA)
  Prof. Roberto Corradini (Direttore Dipartimento SCVSA, UNIPR)
  Prof. Alessandro Abbotto (Presidente Divisione Chimica Organica della Società Chimica Italiana)

• 9:30
  Challenges for Process Chemistry in the 21st century
  Dr. Kai Rossen (Jiuzhou Pharmaceutical-OPRD ACS Journal)
• 10:20
  Transition-Metal Catalysis: Quo Vadis? A Personalized Account
  Dr. Vittorio Farina (FarinaChem Consulting GmbH)
• 11:10
  Coffee Break
• 11:40
  Challenges in homogeneous catalysis with precious metal catalysts
  Dr. Antonio Zanotti Gerosa (Johnson Matthey)
• 12:30
  Enlightening an atom-economical route to molecular complexity
  Prof. Giovanni Maestri (Università di Parma)
• 13:20
  Lunch Break

• 15:00
  Biocatalysis for the Sustainable Synthesis of Small Molecules Intermediates for APIs
  Prof. Francesco Mutti (University of Amsterdam)
• 15:50
  Green Chemistry, obstacle or opportunity
  Dr. David Lathbury (Astute Chemical Development Consulting Ltd)
• 16:40
  Novel Technologies for green synthesis and catalysis
  Prof. Luigi Vaccaro (Università di Perugia)
• 17:30
  End of Day 1
• 17:30 | 19:00
  Get Together Party

Day 2 | 6-11-2024

• 8:30
  Modular and Multi-purpose Continuous-Flow Factory for Development and GMP Manufacturing 
  Dr. Dominique Roberge (Lonza)
• 9:20
  Flow chemistry as a tool for improved sustainability – Plant concepts and a case study of the production of a fine chemical intermediate
  Walter Linhart (Microinnova Engineering GmbH)
  Dr. Francesco Ponzini (Flamma Group)
• 10:10
  Coffee Break
• 10:40
  From Batch to Flow: Advancing Synthetic Organic Chemistry through Technological Innovation
  Prof. Timothy Noel (University of Amsterdam)
• 11:30
  Photomediated Nitrogen Ring Walk: A New Strategy for Substitution Pattern Alteration.
  Prof. Dr. Alessandro Ruffoni (Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel)
• 12:20
  Short Break
• 12:30
  Final Round Table
  Dr. Kai Rossen; Dr. Vittorio Farina; Dr. Dominique Roberge
• 13:30
  Closing Remarks