Flowsheet optimization of an integrated continuous purification-processing pharmaceutical manufacturing operation

Digital design of an integrated purification system for continuous pharmaceutical manufacturing

In this work dynamic models of the continuous crystallization, filtration, deliquoring, washing, and drying steps are introduced, which are developed in the open-source pharmaceutical modeling tool PharmaPy. These models enable the simulation and digital design of an integrated continuous two-stage crystallization and filtration-drying carousel system. The carousel offers an intensified process that can manufacture products with tailored properties through optimal design and control. Results show that improved crystallization design enhances overall process efficiency by improving critical material attributes of the crystal slurry for downstream filtration and drying operations. The digital design of the integrated process achieves enhanced productivity while satisfying multiple design and product quality constraints. Additionally, the impact of model uncertainty on the optimal operating conditions is investigated. The findings demonstrate the systematic process development potential of PharmaPy, providing improved process understanding, design space identification, and optimized robust operation.

Antisolvent Crystallization of Telmisartan Using Stainless-Steel Micromixing Membrane Contactors

Controlled continuous crystallization of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) telmisartan (TEL) has been conducted from TEL/DMSO solutions by antisolvent crystallization in deionized water using membrane micromixing contactors. The purpose of this work was to test stainless-steel membranes with ordered 10 μm pores spaced at 200 μm in a stirred-cell (batch, LDC-1) and crossflow (continuous, AXF-1) system for TEL formation. By controlling the feed flow rate of the API and solvent, through the membrane pores as well as the antisolvent flow, it was possible to tightly control the micromixing and with that to control the crystal nucleation and growth. Batch crystallization without the membrane resulted in an inhomogeneous crystallization process, giving a mixture of crystalline and amorphous TEL materials. The rate of crystallization was controlled with a higher DMSO content (4:1 DMSO/DI water), resulting in slower crystallization of the TEL material. Both membrane setups, stirred batch and the crossflow, yielded the amorphous TEL particles when deionized water was used, while a crystalline material was produced when a mixture of DI water and DMSO was used.

Optimization of key energy and performance metrics for drug product manufacturing

During the development of pharmaceutical manufacturing processes, detailed systems-based analysis and optimization are required to control and regulate critical quality attributes within specific ranges, to maintain product performance. As discussions on carbon footprint, sustainability, and energy efficiency are gaining prominence, the development and utilization of these concepts in pharmaceutical manufacturing are seldom reported, which limits the potential of pharmaceutical industry in maximizing key energy and performance metrics. Based on an integrated modeling and techno-economic analysis framework previously developed by the authors (Sampat et al., 2022), this study presents the development of a combined sensitivity analysis and optimization approach to minimize energy consumption while maintaining product quality and meeting operational constraints in a pharmaceutical process. The optimal input process conditions identified were validated against experiments and good agreement resulted between simulated and experimental data. The results also allowed for a comparison of the capital and operational costs for batch and continuous manufacturing schemes under nominal and optimized conditions. Using the nominal batch operations as a basis, the optimized batch operation results in a 71.7% reduction of energy consumption, whereas the optimized continuous case results in an energy saving of 83.3%.

Mathematical modeling and digital design of an intensified filtration-washing-drying unit for pharmaceutical continuous manufacturing

This paper introduces a comprehensive mathematical model of a novel integrated filter-dryer carousel system, designed for continuously filtering, washing and drying a slurry stream into a crystals cake. The digital twin includes models for dead-end filtration, cake washing and convective cake drying, based on dynamic multi-component mass, energy and momentum balances. For set of feed conditions and control inputs, the model allows tracking the solvents and impurities content in the cake (critical quality attributes, CQAs) throughout the whole process. The model parameters were identified for the isolation of paracetamol from a multi-component slurry, containing a non-volatile impurity. The calibrated model was used for identifying the probabilistic design space and maximum throughput for the process, expressing the combinations of the carousel feed conditions and control inputs for which the probability of meeting the target CQAs is acceptable.

The Steps from Batchwise to Continuous Crystallization for a Fine Chemical: A Case Study

Many processes to produce fine chemicals and precursors of pharmaceuticals are still operated in batchwise mode. However, recently, more producers have taken a change to continuous operation mode into consideration, performing studies and trials on such a change, while some have even already exchanged their production mode from batchwise to continuous operation. In this paper, the stepwise development from an initial idea to industrial implementation via laboratory testing and confirmation is revealed through the example of an organic fine chemical from the perspective of a crystallization plant manufacturer. We begin with the definition of the objectives of the project and a brief explanation of the advantages of continuous operation and the associated product properties. The results of the laboratory tests, confirming the assumptions made upfront, are reported and discussed. Finally, the implementation of an industrial plant using a draft tube baffled (DTB) crystallizer and the final product properties are shown. Product properties such as crystal size distribution, crystal shape, related storage stability and flowability have successfully been improved.