Environmental & Social Information • Jul 13, 2021
Environmental & Social Information
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OSLO, NORWAY – 13 July 2021 – A study using renewable solvent CyreneTM, produced by biotechnology company Circa Group, found that high-purity nanoparticles can be produced – opening up opportunities to use CyreneTM as a more sustainable and safer replacement for current solvents used in drug delivery systems and medical implants.
New research out of Germany used bio-based CyreneTM to produce poly(lactic-coglycolic acid) nanoparticles for drug delivery systems. CyreneTM itself and the nanoparticles were found to be biocompatible – meaning it is well suited to replace toxic harmful organic solvents more commonly used in their preparation. Using Cyrene™ produced high-quality nanoparticles and led to a significant decrease in preparation time when compared to industry-standard solvents.
CyreneTM is an alternative to traditional dipolar aprotic solvents, which are used in large volumes – over one million tonnes per year – and under intense regulatory pressure due their toxicity.
Professor Dagmar Fischer, from the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, and the lead researcher on the project, said, "In comparison to the standard techniques used for the formulation of drug loaded polymer nanoparticles, interestingly with CyreneTM it is possible to effectively reduce process time and process steps."
Tony Duncan, CEO of Circa Group, said, "We are not surprised that CyreneTM continues to show performance benefits in a range of medical and pharmaceutical applications. Extensive research shows it is a safer and more sustainable, highperformance alternative."
Established in 2006, Circa Group converts waste, non-food biomass into advanced bio-based chemicals with its proprietary Furacell™ process. Circa's FuracellTM process reduces the carbon footprint of Cyrene by up to 80% compared to similar petro-based solvents. Reduction in GHG emissions are also expected in both the use and at the end-of-life stages of Cyrene™. By creating renewable chemicals from cellulose, Circa is extracting value from non-food, waste biomass and addressing a gap in the market by providing bio-based alternatives contributing to a more circular economy.
Bárbara Mendes-Jorge Sustainability Consult [email protected] +32 485 92 05 81 www.sustainabilityconsult.com
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