Pharmaceuticals

Innovation is a word that is often used to describe the pharmaceutical industry and its quest to provide all of us with a healthier future. The people of Arkema believe in this quest, and we are proud to work with many pharmaceutical companies to support their desire to deliver the products that will make a difference in people’s lives.

Below are some of the Arkema products being used in many of today's innovative drugs. We would like to help you discover how Arkema can support you in your development and production of these health-based solutions.

Thiochemicals

Dimethyl Sulfoxide - DMSO

Arkema’s DMSO is widely used as a reaction solvent for active substance synthesis, and has shown to be the product of choice for the following reactions:

• Drug formulation
• Manufacture of APIs
• Reactant (oxidizing agent)
• Addition
• Elimination
• Substitution
• Etherification
• Alkylation

Methane Sulfonyl Chloride - MSC

MSC is a synthetic reagent for the preparation of sulfamides, methyl sulfones, sulfonate esters, epoxides, and aziridines. MSC is a common reagent in pharmaceutical synthesis, and is approved in medications for the treatment of cholesterol, asthma, influenza, and many others.

Anhydrous Methane Sulfonic Acid – AMSA

Arkema’s AMSA enjoys wide use in the pharmaceutical industry due to its high acidity and high miscibility in aqueous and most organic media. Its uses include:

• Formation of pharmacologically-acceptable API salts
• Extraction, crystallization and purification of synthetic intermediates
• Synthetic raw material
• Acid catalyst, particularly for formation and removal of protecting groups
• Dehydrating reaction solvent

Thioacetic Acid – TAA

TAA is seen as a powerful sulphur donor for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals. Thioacetic Acid is approved for use in two antihypertensive medications, Captopril and Alacepril.

Amines – MEA, DEA, TEA, MIPA, DIPA, EMA, DMEA and EDIPA

Many APIs require the use of amines in their synthesis, such as TEA, DIPA, EMA, and DMEA. Tertiary amines are also utilized as acid scavenger in many reactions, from moderate selectivity such as TEA to high selectivity such as EDIPA.

Hydrazine Hydrate

A world leader in Hydrazine chemistry, Arkema manufactures a comprehensive range of Hydrazine and Derivatives at its Lannemezan plant (France). Hydrazine Hydrate and its Derivatives play a significant role in Pharmaceuticals as building blocks for active ingredient synthesis. With its know-how and long-standing experience, Arkema is the partner to global pharmaceuticals leaders by providing them with ultra-pure Hydrazine Hydrate and high quality Derivatives for use in the manufacture of various medicines.

Organic Peroxides

Dibenzoyl Peroxide has been used for very many years as an active ingredient in the treatment of acne. With this application in mind, Arkema has developed Luperox® A75FP for use in face and body formulations. Available as a fine powder for optimum effectiveness, Luperox® A75FP is particularly effective by reducing the amount of sebum and bacterial concentration in the skin’s follicles, thereby affording an effective treatment of acne.
Luperox® A75FP is manufactured in accordance with the code of practice required by the pharmaceutical industry.

• For further information, please contact Mélanie Lafarge

Castor Oil Derivatives

Arkema’s Castor Oil Derivatives, manufactured at the Marseilles plant, are used as synthesis intermediates.
The Undecylenic acid, Heptanal and Heptanol have common main characteristics: high purity , 100% bio-based raw material and 100% linearity for the C7 chains compared to synthetic route.
Undecylenic acid derivatives are widely used for their natural bioactivity and fungi resistance . It is a natural fungicide, which is effective and well tolerated. It can be used in soaps, shampoos, talcum powders and other body hygiene products.
Undecylenic acid derivatives range is one of the safest, ecological, most economical and highly effective natural bacteriostatic and antifungal agents

Chlor Alkali

Methylene Chloride is used as a processing solvent in many applications, as a reaction medium, extraction solvent, carrier solvent for barrier coatings applied to pharmaceutical tablets. Methylene chloride is an intermediate, totally eliminated during the purification of the active ingredient.