Expansion Plans, Technology Advancements, and Green Chemistry Highlighted at InformexUSA.

InformexUSA, San Francisco(Feb. 12–Feb. 14)-Custom manufacturers of active pharmaceutical ingredients and intermediates are gathered at InformexUSA this week, with companies announcing investment plans and unveiling new technology.

CMP, the organizers of InformexUSA, expect that attendance will exceed last year’s event, which attracted 4,100. It features roughly 500 exhibitors, with non US-based exhibitors accounting for 40% of the total. The exhibition runs through Friday, Feb. 16.

Companies used InformexUSA to announce several expansion plans, including NPIL Pharma (see related story: “NPIL Pharma Invests in Formulation Services”) and Almac (see related story: “Almac Invests in Highly Potent API and Formulation Services”). Also, the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association unveiled a new green chemistry initiative (see related story: “SOCMA to Launch Center For Sustainable Chemistry”).

A roundup of other expansion activity, agreements, and personnel moves announced at InformexUSA are outlined below. Additional coverage of Informex will be provided in the Feb. 22 edition of ePT.

Advanced Research Chemicals, Inc. (ARC, Tulsa, OK, fluoridearc.com), a manufacturer of fluorine products, is expanding one of its manufacturing facilities in Catoosa, Oklahoma by adding 25,000 ft²  to an existing 85,000- ft² facility. ARC produces fluorine-based compounds at two manufacturing facilities in Catoosa, one in Mexico, and two in India. The company serves multiple industries, including the pharmaceutical industry.

BioCatalytics, Inc. (Pasadena, CA, www.biocatalytics.com) launched a new product line of enzymes for chemical synthesis developed in cooperation with Novozymes A/S (Bagsvaerd, Denmark, www.novozymes.com). The 16 enzymes offered in the product line are the first products to be launched under a cooperative marketing and distribution agreement formed by the companies in late 2006. BioCatalytics has exclusive marketing rights for the new products and formulations for research and development and process development, and Novozymes will be responsible for bulk manufacturing.

Codexis, Inc. (Redwood City, CA, www.codexis.com) introduced “Codex” Biocatalysts Panel, a research product designed to facilitate the use of biocatalysis in pharmaceutical manufacture. The product consists of sets of diagnostic enzymes panels that can be used to screen for reactivity in process reactions. The enzymes are optimized for use in pharmaceutical manufacture.

Chemetall GmbH (Frankfurt German, chemetall.com) and Penn Specialty Chemicals, Inc. (Philadelphia, PA, www.pschem.com) formed a strategic marketing agreement for the solvent, 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (MeTHF), MeTHF-soluble organometallic reagents, organic and inorganic salts, hydrides, and alcoxides. MeTHF is a solvent alternative to tetrahydrofuran (THF).  Penn Specialty Chemicals commercially produces MeTHF and specializes in producing furfural and furan-based solvents and derivatives. Chemetall is a leading supplier of metal-based chemical applications and lithium-based products. Chemetall has shown that various organogrignard reagents are more soluble in MeTHF than THF and some reactions show improved yields. Chemetall and Penn plan to jointly sponsor scientific events centered around green chemistry and organometallic applications.

Halocarbon Products Corporation (River Edge, NJ, www.halocarbon.com) named Mary Ellen Rubinstein marketing manager with responsibility for three product lines: inhalation anesthetics; fluorochemicals; and oils, greases, and waxes. Halocarbon is a producer of specialty fluorochemicals.

Reaxa Ltd. (Manchester, UK, www.reaxa.com) added “QuadraPure C” to its resin-based metal-catalyst and reagent scavenger range of products that are used to remove impurities in pharmaceutical manufacture. QuadraPure C is a synthetic, porous, high surface-area, nonfunctional carbon-based material used for adsorption of small-molecule organic containments. The product removes color, trace impurities, and odor from active pharmaceutical ingredients, intermediates, and specialty chemicals.

SAFC (St. Louis, MO, www.safcglobal.com) completed the initial phase of a two-stage expansion at SAFC Pharmorphix’s research facility in Cambridge, United Kingdom. SAFC Pharmorphix specializes in solid-form characterization and research. The company completed a 2,500-ft² laboratory extension, which will be followed by an additional investment in the spring of 2007 as part of a $600,000 expansion program. SAFC Pharmorphix expects to add additional X-ray crystallography equipment to the laboratory.

Scott Medical Products (Plumsteadville, PA, www.scottgas.com) has chosen the IMCD Group (Mumbai, India) to represent “Selectfluor” and “Deoxo-Fluor” fluorinating reagents in the Indian pharmaceutical market. The products are manufactured by Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (Allentown, PA, www.airproducts.com/index.asp), and are represented by Scott Medical Products, which provides reagents for low-temperature, high-yield, late-stage direct fluorination.