By Aphios Corp.
For selective extraction and on-line chromatographic purification of natural molecules The SuperFluids™ (supercritical, critical or near-critical fluids with or without polar cosolvents) extraction and purification (CXP) process circumvents these manufacturing difficulties and resource limitations. By utilizing SuperFluids™, CXP selectively extracts and purifies paclitaxel and related taxoids from yew needles (leaves), a renewable biomass resource, of the cloned ornamental yew, Taxus media “hicksii”, in just five steps. CXP utilizes SuperFluids™ CO2 with or without alcohol for the selective extraction of natural drugs combined with online SuperFluids™ chromatographic purification. The process reduces the number of extraction and chromatographic purification steps and decreases processing times from several days to less than 24 hours. This technology is rapid, selective and cost-effective. Products of CXP technology are free of toxic organic solvents, environmentally friendly and truly “green.” CXP technology can be used for the manufacturing of: - Anticancer drugs paclitaxel and other taxoids from Taxus species - Betulinic acid from the white oak tree Betula alba - Bryostatin-1 that occurs in parts per million range in the sea-moss, Bugula neritina - Camptothecin, a unique topoisomerase inhibitor from the Chinese plant Camptotheca acuminata - Cyclopamine, a potent Molecular Hedgehog pathway antagonist and anticancer compound isolated from the roots of the California shrub Veratrum californicum - Cannabinoids such as Δ9-THC from Cannabis sativa - Quality-of-life medicines (dietary supplements or nutraceuticals) following current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) guidelines.
