Chemical wastes in the peptide synthesis process and ways to reduce them

The uptick in marketed and FDA-approved therapeutic peptides is emblematic of the growing interest and demand in pharmaceutical grade peptide synthesis. This review analyses the obvious and hidden waste generation associated with peptide synthesis and how these wastes from hazardous coupling reagents and solvents can be minimized.

Illustration of the solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) process in which repeated washing steps cause excessive amounts of waste if operated with an unfavourable solid-to-liquid ratio.

Highlight:

• “[...] This research investigated the capability of rotating bed reactors (RBRs) produced by SpinChem. An RBR […] can enhance the ratio of solid-phase to liquid, resulting in less solvent consumption and minimizing the wastes for peptide synthesis.”