Exciting times for chiral technology

The rapidly developing small molecule chiral technology sector is witnessing a flurry of activity, according to a new report from international marketing consultancy Frost & Sullivan. While traditional methods of chiral production are firmly established, emerging asymmetric and biological methods are the focus of intensive research, according to Analysis Of Developments In Global Chiral Technology Markets. Meeting demand from the pharma industry for the production of optically pure molecules remains the primary focus.

Changing attitudes toward chiral technologies mean that companies are exhibiting greater willingness to take an 'opportunity risk' and invest more heavily in these budding technologies. 'Increasingly, corporate thinking appears to be transitioning from a 'wait-and-watch' to a 'first-to-market' approach to capture these developing technologies,' the report claims.

But fine chemicals companies are now facing a significant problem as large pharmaceuticals companies cut their outsourcing activities in an effort to save costs. Under pressure to sustain favourable bottom lines, companies are now looking for new customers and business opportunities in the form of smaller pharma firms that have limited manufacturing capacity but promising pipeline drugs. Such a move is likely to cause a paradigm shift within the market, Frost & Sullivan suggests, as fine chemicals companies begin to rely increasingly on smaller pharmaceutical companies to extend their customer base.

In addition, demand from biotechnology companies for a manufacturing partner for small molecule chirals offers fine chemicals companies an opportunity to replace critical revenues lost due to sluggish pharmaceutical companies.

Another prominent trend is the pursuit of a broad technology portfolio by fine chemical companies, the report says. Rising pressure from end users that are keen to realise cost efficiencies, compels companies to offer expertise in all areas of production, and manufacture chiral material in the cheapest manner possible.

Keeping up with competitors that decide to extend their chiral toolboxes also challenges companies to be innovative, flexible and offer an extensive technological portfolio. But as Frost & Sullivan research analyst Dr Matthew Moorcroft points out: 'In today's market, it is not enough simply to offer a large base of technologies; the focus must be on the willingness to provide innovation and integration within those chemistries and offer solutions to customer problems.'

Among the emerging technologies, asymmetric synthesis will continue to flourish, the report predicts, with extensive academic and industrial investment. Sustained catalyst development throughout the 90s has made it possible for enantiomeric excess purities to exceed 99%, as well as producing a whole host of asymmetric ligands and auxiliaries. This has created a need for thorough theoretical interrogation, which will ultimately bring down current costs through intelligent design and modification of existing catalytic and synthetic processes.

High enzyme selectivity is likely to remain a significant driver for the growth. Regio-, stereo-, and chemo-selectivity all help save time and costs by dramatically reducing the number of synthetic steps required, thereby enabling a single biotransformation.