Systematic and Model-Assisted Process Design for the Extraction and Purification of Artemisinin from Artemisia annua L.—Part II: Model-Based Design of Agitated and Packed Columns for Multistage Extraction and Scrubbing

Green Manufacturing for Herbal Remedies with Advanced Pharmaceutical Technology

Herbal remedies are in most cases still manufactured with traditional equipment installations and processes. Innovative chemical process engineering methods such as modeling and process intensification with green technology could contribute to the economic and ecologic future of those botanicals. The integration of modern unit operations such as water-based pressurized hot water extraction and inline measurement devices for process analytical technology approaches in traditional extraction processes is exemplified. The regulatory concept is based on the quality-by-design demand for autonomous feed-based recipe operation with the aid of digital twins within advanced process control. This may include real-time release testing to the automatic cleaning of validation issues. Digitalization and Industry 4.0 methods, including machine learning and artificial intelligence, are capable of keeping natural product extraction manufacturing and can contribute significantly to the future of human health.

Digital Twin for Extraction Process Design and Operation

Traditional extraction processes of natural product are widespread, especially in regulated industries. Possibilities of extraction development and manufacturing optimization in regulated industries is limited. Regulatory approvals are often based on traditional preparations of phyto-pharmaceuticals. The dependence on traditional processes can result in sub-optimal extraction parameters causing unnecessary costs and product variability. Innovative methods like Quality-by-Design (QbD), including process analytical technology (PAT), open opportunities for manufacturers to cope with regulatory demanded, narrow batch-to-batch variability. In addition, such validated process models represent perfect digital twins which could be utilized for advanced process control and life cycle analysis.

Technical Potential for Energy and GWP Reduction in Chemical–Pharmaceutical Industry in Germany and EU—Focused on Biologics and Botanicals Manufacturing

European policy demands climate neutrality by the year 2050. Therefore, any manufacturing optimization needs to be achieved in the well-known pareto of global warming potential (GWP) reduction combined with cost of goods (COG) reduction at increasing product amounts, while still being able to compete in the world market. The chemical–pharmaceutical industry is one of the most energy-intensive industries. The pharmaceutical industry operates with low batch sizes, but high margins. This study analyzes, based on the literature and Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWi; English: Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy)-funded project results, the technical potentials for energy and GWP reduction, while focusing on biologics and botanicals, because those are already widely based on natural raw material resources. The potential impact for green technologies is pointed out in relation to climate-neutral manufacturing.

Distinct and Quantitative Validation Method for Predictive Process Modeling with Examples of Liquid-Liquid Extraction Processes of Complex Feed Mixtures

As of today, industrial process development for liquid-liquid extraction and scale-up of extraction columns is based on an experimental procedure that requires tests in pilot-scale. This methodology consumes large amounts of material and time and the utilized scale-up equations are crude estimates including considerable safety margins. This approach is practical for well-known systems or low-value products coupled with high production scale, where such a scale-up methodology has less impact on the overall profitability. However, for new high-value products in biologics manufacturing, a process development based on process understanding and the use of validated process models is imperative. Therefore, a distinct and quantitative validation workflow for liquid-liquid extraction modeling is presented on the example of two complex feed mixtures. Monte-Carlo simulations based on the presented model parameter determination concept result for both examples in prediction accuracy comparable to the experiments and prediction precision within the deviation of the respective experiments. Identification of statistically significant parameters is demonstrated. The presented methodology for model validation will support the implementation of liquid-liquid extraction in the manufacturing of new high value biological products in regulated industries by providing a workflow to derive a Quality-by-Design compatible process model.

Process Engineering Accelerating an Economic Industrialization Towards a Bio-Based World

The transition towards a bio-based world is a challenging undertaking. This perspective paper, from an engineering point of view, aims to provide an overview of existing projects and academic disciplines highlighting the potential benefit of increased interdisciplinary exchanges. Furthermore, the current utilization of biomass to produce biogas is discussed, including an economic assessment, showing the need for new strategies of biomass valorization. One solution could be the development of separation processes for the isolation of secondary plant metabolites, which have been especially valuable for pharmaceutical applications, e.g., taxotere ^® and artemisinin. The economic feasibility is demonstrated in a case study, evaluating the purification potential of curcuminoids from Curcuma longa L. Subsequently, the conclusion discusses the limitations of large-scale industrial applications and the need for new separation techniques as a step towards a bio-based world.

Accelerating Biologics Manufacturing by Modeling or: Is Approval under the QbD and PAT Approaches Demanded by Authorities Acceptable Without a Digital-Twin?

Innovative biologics, including cell therapeutics, virus-like particles, exosomes,recombinant proteins, and peptides, seem likely to substitute monoclonal antibodies as the maintherapeutic entities in manufacturing over the next decades. This molecular variety causes agrowing need for a general change of methods as well as mindset in the process development stage,as there are no platform processes available such as those for monoclonal antibodies. Moreover,market competitiveness demands hyper-intensified processes, including accelerated decisionstoward batch or continuous operation of dedicated modular plant concepts. This indicates gaps inprocess comprehension, when operation windows need to be run at the edges of optimization. Inthis editorial, the authors review and assess potential methods and begin discussing possiblesolutions throughout the workflow, from process development through piloting to manufacturingoperation from their point of view and experience. Especially, the state-of-the-art for modeling inred biotechnology is assessed, clarifying differences and applications of statistical, rigorousphysical-chemical based models as well as cost modeling. “Digital-twins” are described and effortsvs. benefits for new applications exemplified, including the regulation-demanded QbD (quality bydesign) and PAT (process analytical technology) approaches towards digitalization or industry 4.0based on advanced process control strategies. Finally, an analysis of the obstacles and possiblesolutions for any successful and efficient industrialization of innovative methods from processdevelopment, through piloting to manufacturing, results in some recommendations. A centralquestion therefore requires attention: Considering that QbD and PAT have been required byauthorities since 2004, can any biologic manufacturing process be approved by the regulatoryagencies without being modeled by a “digital-twin” as part of the filing documentation?

Systematic and Model-Assisted Process Design for the Extraction and Purification of Artemisinin from Artemisia annua L.—Part IV: Crystallization

In this study, process integration for crystallization of a priori purified Artemisia annua L. is investigated. For this total process, the integration operation boundaries and behavior of the crystals are studied. This is performed focusing on a conceptual process design study for artemisinin, aiming towards the development of a crystallization step under given parameters by process integration. At first, different crystallization systems consisting of ethanol-water or acetone-water mixtures are compared. In subsequent steps, the metastable zone width and the behavior of the crystals regarding agglomeration and breakage are checked. Furthermore, the sensitivities of process variables based on several process parameters are investigated. Additionally, the final process integration of crystallization as a combined purification and isolation step is studied.

Systematic and Model-Assisted Process Design for the Extraction and Purification of Artemisinin from Artemisia annua L.—Part III: Chromatographic Purification

In this study, the purification of an extract from Artemisia annua L. using chromatographic methods is studied. In a first step, a screening of different phases and solvents using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) was performed. Then, a laboratory-scale high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed and transferred to a pilot scale. A reproducibility study based on 120 injections was carried out. The batch process that was developed and the results from a designed continuous simulated moving bed (SMB) chromatography were compared based on characteristic process numbers and economy.