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Since 2010s, in pharmaceutical chemical manufacturing, continuous manufacturing has been preferred more to manufacture drugs more efficiently, ensure safety and bring products to market faster.

Continuous processing is an alternative method of manufacturing to the traditional batch process that is widely adopted in the pharmaceutical industry. A continuous reactor is essentially a complex network of pipes with a small internal volume to surface area ratio. This means manufacturers can theoretically gain greater control over reaction parameters and achieve conditions that were previously unattainable.

This is particularly useful when handling hazardous materials. The microreactors used in continuous manufacturing allow reactions to take place on a much smaller scale, much more frequently, making it easier to quench reactions and avoid adverse bi products.

While batch manufacturing has been the go-to method of chemical manufacturing, times are changing and more and more Contract Development and Manufacturing Organizations (CDMOs) are considering continuous, or flexible manufacturing alternatives. This new method is getting lots of attention lately, because of its claims to provide cost savings, as well as improved quality and efficiency. But, while there seems to be great promise for continuous manufacturing the jury is still out, since it still is in the early stages of use, with only a handful of commercialized drug products having been manufactured using this method.

Advantages of Continuous Manufacturing
- Expanding capabilities & capacities of production
- Shrinking the plant size
- Control of process parameters is easier (pH, temperature etc.)
- Safety
- Lower risk & Reduces additional infrastructural costs
- Scale up is fast, east & cost effective
- Ability to connect multiple reactor modules together
- Less chances of cross contamination

Making Continuous Processing Viable for Pharmaceuticals
Continuous manufacturing is in its infancy in the pharmaceutical industry and during these early stages, collaboration across supply chain partners is an ideal way to test the process and explore its potential.

Continuous processing can only be successful when the right equipment is supported by robust and scalable chemistry, systematic process design and efficient process analytical technology (PAT), meaning a skilled team is vital. So, strategic partnerships could be infinitely beneficial in terms of mitigating risk, containing costs and sharing resources.

Used properly, continuous flow chemistry can broaden the safe operating range of chemical processes and allow companies to develop APIs to their full potential, however it is vital to explore the implications and carefully consider the suitability of the process for specific products.

Source: Pharmaoutsourcing
Reaction capabilities at Shree Ganesh Remedies Limited
Contract Manufacturing of Pharmaceutical Intermediates