The Role of New Technologies in Defining a Manufacturing Process for PPARα Agonist LY518674

The impact of several new technologies on the development of a manufacturing process for LY518674 is described. Extensive use of process analytical technology (PAT) throughout development, both at laboratory and pilot-plant scale, enabled data-rich experiments, shortened development cycle times, and obviated the requirement of PAT for process control at larger scale. In situ ReactIR was used to develop a kinetic model for a one-pot preparation of a semicarbazide intermediate. Parallel crystallizers fitted with online focused-beam reflectance measurement (FBRM) and particle vision and measurement (PVM ) probes were used in the development of several challenging crystallization processes. Application of the process knowledge afforded by these technologies, combined with the principles of Quality by Design, resulted in excellent purity control throughout the four-step process. A single, 5-min, MS-friendly method capable of separating over 30 components was developed using a combination of chromatography modeling software, sub-2 μm column technology, and higher-pressure LC equipment. The method was used across all four processing steps, greatly facilitating impurity tracking, and reducing assay time and solvent use by 85% and 93%, respectively.