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Comito M, Monguzzi R, Tagliapietra S, Maspero A, Palmisano G, Cravotto G. From Batch to the Semi-Continuous Flow Hydrogenation of pNB, pNZ-Protected Meropenem. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15051322. [PMID: 37242564 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15051322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Meropenem is currently the most common carbapenem in clinical applications. Industrially, the final synthetic step is characterized by a heterogeneous catalytic hydrogenation in batch mode with hydrogen and Pd/C. The required high-quality standard is very difficult to meet and specific conditions are required to remove both protecting groups [i.e., p-nitrobenzyl (pNB) and p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl (pNZ)] simultaneously. The three-phase gas-liquid-solid system makes this step difficult and unsafe. The introduction of new technologies for small-molecule synthesis in recent years has opened up new landscapes in process chemistry. In this context, we have investigated meropenem hydrogenolysis using microwave (MW)-assisted flow chemistry for use as a new technology with industrial prospects. The reaction parameters (catalyst amount, T, P, residence time, flow rate) in the move from the batch process to semi-continuous flow were investigated under mild conditions to determine their influence on the reaction rate. The optimization of the residence time (840 s) and the number of cycles (4) allowed us to develop a novel protocol that halves the reaction time compared to batch production (14 min vs. 30 min) while maintaining the same product quality. The increase in productivity using this semi-continuous flow technique compensates for the slightly lower yield (70% vs. 74%) obtained in batch mode.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marziale Comito
- Dipartimento di Scienza e Tecnologia del Farmaco, University of Turin, Via Pietro Giuria 9, 10125 Turin, Italy
- Research and Development, ACS Dobfar SpA, Via Paullo 9, 20067 Tribiano, Italy
| | - Riccardo Monguzzi
- Research and Development, ACS Dobfar SpA, Via Paullo 9, 20067 Tribiano, Italy
| | - Silvia Tagliapietra
- Dipartimento di Scienza e Tecnologia del Farmaco, University of Turin, Via Pietro Giuria 9, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Angelo Maspero
- Dipartimento di Scienza e Alta Tecnologia, University of Insubria, Via Valleggio 9, 22100 Como, Italy
| | - Giovanni Palmisano
- Dipartimento di Scienza e Alta Tecnologia, University of Insubria, Via Valleggio 9, 22100 Como, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Cravotto
- Dipartimento di Scienza e Tecnologia del Farmaco, University of Turin, Via Pietro Giuria 9, 10125 Turin, Italy
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Raza A, Ngieng SC, Sime FB, Cabot PJ, Roberts JA, Popat A, Kumeria T, Falconer JR. Oral meropenem for superbugs: challenges and opportunities. Drug Discov Today 2020; 26:551-560. [PMID: 33197621 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2020.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Revised: 10/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
An increase in the number of multidrug-resistant microbial strains is the biggest threat to global health and is projected to cause >10 million deaths by 2055. The carbapenem family of antibacterial drugs are an important class of last-resort treatment of infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria and are only available as an injectable formulation. Given their instability within the gut and poor permeability across the gut wall, oral carbapenem formulations show poor bioavailability. Meropenem (MER), a carbapenem antibiotic, has broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, but suffers from the above-mentioned issues. In this review, we discuss strategies for improving the oral bioavailability of MER, such as inhibiting tubular secretion, prodrug formulations, and use of nanomedicine. We also highlight challenges and emerging approaches for the development of oral MER.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aun Raza
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia; Centre for Translational Anti-infective Pharmacodynamics, School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Shih Chen Ngieng
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Fekade Bruck Sime
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia; Centre for Translational Anti-infective Pharmacodynamics, School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Peter J Cabot
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Jason A Roberts
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia; Centre for Translational Anti-infective Pharmacodynamics, School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia; Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia; Department of Pharmacy, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Amirali Popat
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia; Mater Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia.
| | - Tushar Kumeria
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia; School of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
| | - James R Falconer
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia.
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