LyraChem Limited

LyraChem provides a technology-based process development service and combines expertise in chemistry, chemical engineering, mathematics and advanced technologies and effectively bridges the traditional gap between process chemistry and chemical engineering.

LyraChem and CPI have combined their expertise and innovation in chemistry and chemical engineering with unique testing facilities to pioneer new and improved manufacturing methods for the production of high-value compounds, used for an array of pharmaceutical and flavour and fragrance products. The project uses various continuous reactor and distillation technologies, combined with innovative chemical routes, to produce efficient and greener chemical esters which are widely used by the flavour and fragrance industry.

The organisations are also developing a simple and clean ​‘direct amidation’ method, previously thought to be impossible and consequently ignored by industry, to make the compound ​‘amides’, used for the production of many medical drugs and a key chemical for the pharmaceutical sector.

The partnership has enabled CPI and LyraChem to combine advanced chemical expertise and novel pilot facilities to quickly screen and develop superior process technologies for the production of these industrially-important compounds. The multidisciplinary project team has developed a strategy to rapidly screen and develop the new processes, ensuring smooth technology transfer and process robustness. The team will be implementing the new methods to form a demonstration project within the next months.

The techniques developed could help those companies who are looking to improve the commercial validity and environmental credentials of their manufacturing methods.