DSM Sinochem Pharmaceuticals (DSP) has achieved a significant milestone. At end of October 2016, DSP’s facility in Delft, the Netherlands, celebrated 15 years of sustainable production of 7-ADCA, the key intermediate for cephalosporin APIs.
In this time period, using its breakthrough production method, DSP has contributed to more than 2.5 billion patient treatments and to a better planet by a significant reduction of CO2 emissions as well as preventing the release of antimicrobial active ingredients into the environment.
DSP has produced 7-ADCA, the key intermediate for making its sustainable cephalosporin APIs including cephalexin, cefadroxil and cefradine, at Delft since 1973, and is the only remaining producer of this intermediate in the Western hemisphere.
In the early 2000s, the company revolutionised the industry by introducing a new breakthrough process for the sustainable production of high-quality 7-ADCA. To this date, this process based on proprietary technology is the only combined fermentative and enzymatic route for manufacturing 7-ADCA worldwide.
DSP’s mission is to provide high-quality and reliable products for people in need of healthcare. Antibiotics save lives every day and enable medical procedures that would be otherwise life-threatening. Therefore, DSP is proud that during the 15 years of green 7-ADCA production it has contributed to more than 2.5 billion cephalosporin patient treatments.
As a leader in sustainable production of antibiotics, DSP has implemented the cleanest production technology available and installed dedicated wastewater treatment plants. These operate all year around as an integral part of DSP’s manufacturing process at Delft and all other sites, in combination with antimicrobial activity testing of effluents. In response to the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the company is committed to ensuring that its production waste is free of antibiotic residues.
By upgrading to the fermentative and enzymatic process, production has become much cleaner with a significant decrease of the carbon footprint of the product. To this date, a reduction of more than 1.5 million tons of CO2 emissions, equivalent to more than 350,000 aeroplane trips around the world, has been achieved.
Frans Vlaar, Business Unit Director Europe America at DSP, said: “Unlike today’s industry common practice, in which penicillin and chemical processes are used that require large volumes of solvents, our process is sustainable and environmentally friendly, resulting in a higher 7-ADCA product quality and reducing the product carbon footprint.”
“Last, but not least, I am proud that at DSP we take our responsibility in the fight against the global health and wealth threat of AMR. We need to take, use and especially make antibiotics responsibly to keep existing antibiotics effective, now and for generations to come,” he added.
