Lourdes Maria Riquelme Jimenez
University
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
Company
Novo Nordisk A/S
Project title
Experimental Exploration of an Industrial Pharmaceutical Crystallization Process
Project description
A typical process for the core production of an API consists of three main stages: fermentation, recovery and
purification. In the last two steps of the recovery process, the API is crystallized in a mixing tank by cooling and adding anti-solvent. Then, the crystallized API is captured and separated from the suspension using
centrifugation. In the current state, the crystallization process has a very low yield, therefore, the opportunity to find the most optimal operating conditions for the crystallization step should be investigated. The crystallization step affects the performance of the downstream centrifugation and plays an important role in the capacity of the recovery process, in terms of mass and time. In the future state, the crystallization should be further investigated to increase understanding on solubility etc. to be able to explore the operating space more for process optimization.
What was your motivation for becoming a Helix fellow?
Since I started my masters I knew I wanted to become a Fellow. I consider this a unique opportunity to get hands-on experience in the industry, collaborating with very innovative companies in such an interesting place like Kalundborg.
What is the most exciting part of being a Helix Lab Fellow?
I admire how Helix lab connects academia and the industry. As an international student, I find exciting to connect with many talented Fellows, researchers, and professionals from the industry. Having a project with a company allows me to contribute and improve the current process, as well as getting an overview of the challenges that the company faces.
What perspectives do you see for after being a Helix Lab Fellow?
Thanks to this relevant experience, I consider that there is a possibility of getting a position as a process engineer or scientist in Kalundborg. But mostly, I am very excited to see how my project contributes and if it can be implemented in industrial scale.