Daicel and Novasep Link for Chromatography Services

Japan's Daicel Chemical Industries and Groupe Novasep of France will work together to provide pharmaceutical industry customers with large-scale chromatographic methods for producing chiral intermediates and active pharmaceutical ingredients. The venture will combine Daicel's capabilities, through its Chiral Technologies subsidiaries in Europe and the U.S., for developing chiral stationary phases and Novasep's expertise in computer simulation and optimization of chromatographic processes. A goal of the collaboration is to help streamline and promote the use of chromatography in the production of chiral compounds by demonstrating time- and cost-effective manufacturing approaches. Jean Blehaut, head of Novasep's pharma business unit, notes that drugs such as Pfizer's Zoloft, UCB's Keppra, and Cephalon's Nuvigil are already made with chromatographic technologies. Production processes will come with a guaranteed performance level and include all applicable licenses to Novasep and Daicel intellectual property.