Technology developed at Unicamp helps in obtaining immunosuppressants for the treatment of transplanted people
In order to improve the production of medicines for transplanted people, Unicamp researcher Alessandra Bertan developed a filtration system inserted in the purification process of tacrolimus, a drug that inhibits the immune system, through microfiltration in a pressurized column. The objective of the technology is to improve the separation of biomass, clusters of microparticles basically made up of inactive bacterial cells Streptomyces tsukubaensis, produced during fermentation to produce tacrolimus.
Alessandra is from Paraná and completed part of her master's degree remotely during the pandemic. Despite the difficulties in completing the research in isolation, the filtration system she developed is innovative, with a strong social commitment. Technology has caught the attention of Inova Unicamp Innovation Agency, responsible for the management and prospecting of University Technology Portfolio, and the invention was protected. “The filtration system, suitable for the pharmaceutical industry, improves an important part of the production process. With it, we were able to retain up to 97% of the biomass, facilitating subsequent stages of tacrolimus purification”, says the researcher.
According to data from the Ministry of Health, 25 thousand people underwent organ graft procedures in 2020 and 2021 and another 50 thousand are on the waiting list. Tacrolimus is the most recommended medication for the treatment of kidney, liver and pancreas transplants. It reduces the occurrence and severity of rejection episodes, in addition to being recommended for other diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and vitiligo.
Single chamber
The filtration system consists of a single chamber, in which the juice from fermentation via bacteria Streptomyces tsukubaensis is pressurized. There is a membrane designed for microfiltration of biomass, also resulting from the fermentation process.
A distinguishing feature of the project is the configuration of the filter and filtering membrane, which have smaller pores than traditional ones - around 100 times smaller than a grain of sand - and work under pressure, without the need for an external pressurization chamber. . “The technology developed at Unicamp brings together, in the filter itself, the pressurized chamber. With this, we eliminated a step in the process, generating energy savings and cost reduction”, says Marco Aurélio Cremasco, professor at the Faculty of Chemical Engineering (FEQ/Unicamp), Alessandra's advisor.
The process engineering work for the development of our own technology for producing immunosuppressants was started almost a decade ago by the group coordinated by the professor. First, researchers mastered the fermentation technique to obtain tacrolimus. Then, they identified process steps to be improved, thinking about the production of raw materials more appropriate for processing the drug. “There is no point in thinking about developing new products without new processes. This is one of the attractions of process engineering. Alessandra's work showed that the path can be improved through microfiltration and biomass removal. It is a reliable and replicable technology that opens up new possibilities for the area”, said Cremasco.
The case study was carried out with tacrolimus, but, according to the team, the filter can be applied in the production of other immunosuppressants or drugs that present similar technological challenges: low process yield and complex purification. For implementation in industry, adaptations and scale-up tests are necessary. “We mastered the idea, but it would not be possible to scale production in the laboratory. For this we need investments and partnerships”, explains Cremasco. The Inova Unicamp Innovation Agency is the institution responsible for intermediating negotiations with companies for partnership contracts and technology transfer. “We are committed to society as researchers. Therefore, our plan is to continue with the research. We believe that this technology will help improve the lives of many people, increasing the hope of accessibility and availability of immunosuppressants for those who need them", concludes Alessandra.
This report was originally published on the Innovates Unicamp
