Understanding Chiral Technologies

Some of the fastest growing new drugs today are two mirror-image isomers. Chemically, they are single enantiomers, with each of their molecules being one half of a pair of mirror-image isomers. As drugs, single enantiomers often exhibit greater potency and cause fewer side effects than do more conventional drug molecules, which may be chiral but are often equal-parts mixtures of both enantiomers. As a result, chiral technology - the process of synthesizing or isolating chiral molecules and their single enantiomers, has become big business for a legion of catalyst developers and custom chemical manufacturers.

Global revenues from chiral technology will soar from $6.63 billion in 2000 to $16.03 billion in 2007, growing at a compound annual rate of 13.4% during that period.

Approximately 80% of all products currently in development for the pharmaceutical industry are based on chiral building blocks, according to Karlheinz Drauz, vice president for technology and R&D management in the fine chemicals business unit of Degussa AG in Hanau-Wolfgang, Germany. Many single-enantiomer chiral drugs have recently hit the market. Among the more successful ones are AstraZeneca's stomach acid remedy Nexium, GlaxoSmithKline's anti-anxiety agent Paxil, and Merck's asthma drug Singulair.

This report analyzes the technology involved in the chiral processes, cost of the technology, worldwide sales, the different chiral models, major players in the industry, and the basics of the chiral industry. Market overview, market statistics, information for end-users, and much more is included in this report.