Chemists have developedtechnology for synthesizing pentamine

5 December 2017

The Laboratory of Organic Synthesis has developed the first domestic technology for synthesizing pentamine, a substance used to produce medicines. Currently, Russian enterprises purchase this substance from China, which is the main exporter of pentamine in the world. The technology created by TSU chemists will allow us to produce domestically a substance that, while not inferior in quality to international analogs, will have a lower price.

- Pentamine is used to produce injections, which are used in such conditions as hypertensive crisis, pulmonary and brain edema, peripheral vascular spasms, and in other cases, - says Viktor Malkov, head of the Laboratory of Organic Synthesis. - In the world market, a kilogram of pentamine costs about 4,000$, but its cost is much lower. The raw materials have a quite democratic price, so producing this substance is economically viable.

TSU chemists are ready to offer Russian industry the first domestic technology for synthesizing pentamine, tested by developers at the laboratory. According to Viktor Malkov, the main difficulty in the production process was achieving a high degree of purity. This is one of the main requirements for substances that are used for medical purposes.

The product obtained was submitted for examination to the Laboratory Physical and Chemical Methods of Analysis, which provides analytical support to a number of pharmaceutical enterprises in Russia. The study showed that the first domestic pentamine has good quality and purity and this makes it suitable for the production of medicines.

- A large part of the work in creating new technology was performed by Evgenia Tomilova, our Master’s student, - says Victor Malkov. - Only one substance in the initial components for the synthesis was an imported product, all the remaining constituents are Russian, and some of them are produced in Siberia. In Russia, there are a number of enterprises capable of mastering the production of this substance.

It is planned that the first pilot batch will be received at Tomsk State University. After that, TSU’s Engineering Center of Chemical Technology will take the new technology to the market. This will be beneficial both for industrialists interested in cost-effective production, and for patients who will be able to purchase the drug at a lower price.