Work

Scalable Continuous Flow Reduction for the Synthesis of Emtricitabine

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Emtricitabine (FTC) is an important antiretroviral drug with a growing market, highlighting the need for local production with large-scale potential. With continuous flow synthesis increasingly explored across a wide range of APIs, applying this approach to FTC offers the potential for improved scalability and process efficiency. This study developed a continuous flow method for FTC, addressing feed stability and optimizing reaction conditions to enable stable, long-duration operation at scalable throughput. The optimized continuous flow process maintained consistent yields from 60 to 78% when scaling from 2 to 50 g of the starting material. Comparative evaluation with traditional batch synthesis showed that the flow approach achieves high product quality with the purity of >98%, exceptional productivity measuring as a space-time-yield (STY) of 5.25 kg FTC (L·day) –1, while a 50% reduction in environmental impact. Moreover, the ability of the same continuous flow setup to perform the identical ester-reduction step in a structurally analogous API, lamivudine (3TC), further demonstrates its versatility and broader applicability to similar reaction systems.

Source: Organic Process Research & Development

DOI: 10.1021/acs.oprd.6c00026

Authors: Nadhita Chanchaona, Aticha Thiraporn, Onanong Vorasin, Pornthip Aunbamrung, Nitipol Srimongkolpithak

Institutions: National Science and Technology Development Agency, Thailand Science Park, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology

Language: English

Topic: Innovative Microfluidic and Catalytic Techniques Innovation

Subfield: Biomedical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,500

Funders: National Science and Technology Development Agency, Office of National Higher Education Science Research and Innovation Policy Council