The Impact of Chiral Compounds in Medicine

In the world of pharmaceuticals, some of the most expensive drugs are those containing a chiral center—a feature that makes the molecule non-superimposable on its mirror image, much like right and left hands. This property influences the biological effects of the drug, including efficacy, side effects, and metabolism. The cost of chiral drugs is significantly influenced by the building blocks used during synthesis, which are expensive to produce due to complex reaction and purification pathways.

The Importance of (S)-3-Hydroxy-γ-Butyrolactone (HBL)

According to a new study published in the journal Chem, researchers at the FBRI have explored a novel pathway to reduce the cost of producing one of these key building blocks, (S)-3-hydroxy-γ-butyrolactone (HBL), from glucose at high concentrations and with fruitful yields. HBL is a chiral type used in the synthesis of a range of essential drugs, such as statins, antibiotics, and HIV inhibitors.

Glucose can be extracted from any lignocellulosic material, such as wood chips, sawdust, tree branches, or other woody biomass. This approach opens a new door for sustainable HBL production. This method can also be applied to produce other important consumer products.

The Economic and Environmental Impact of the New Process

Thomas Schwartz, associate director at FBRI and associate professor at the College of Engineering and Computing at the University of Maine, stated that using other types of wood sugars, like xylose, could lead to the production of new chemicals and building blocks, such as green cleaning products or renewable and recyclable plastics.

Schwartz added that competing processes either result in low yields, use hazardous raw materials, or are generally expensive due to the chosen production scheme and low outputs. The commercial process is costly because adding a chiral center to the molecule does not occur naturally with most petrochemicals.

Challenges and Opportunities in Sustainable Production

Previous attempts to produce HBL sustainably have achieved only limited success due to safety issues, inefficiency, or economic infeasibility. However, with the new approach, greenhouse gas emissions are significantly reduced, and production costs are lowered by more than 60% compared to current methods using petroleum-derived raw materials.

The process can also produce other commercially important chemicals, such as glycolic acid (GA), providing additional economic opportunities. The research involved students from the catalysis group at the University of Maine, led by Schwartz, and was conducted in collaboration with the USDA Forest Products Laboratory and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Conclusion

Thanks to funding from the USDA, the US Forest Service, and the National Science Foundation, this research opens new horizons for sustainable and economical production of chiral pharmaceuticals. This innovation can transform the landscape of the pharmaceutical and chemical industries, reducing environmental impact and achieving greater economic feasibility, thereby enhancing opportunities for new and renewable products in global markets.