Chromatography…but not as we know it.- GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer UK Group Ltd, Dynamic Extractions Ltd & Brunel Institute for Bioengineering

The use of countercurrent chromatography (CCC) as a preparative technique is seen to occupy a niche area of separation science and is largely used to isolate natural products. However, the technique has considerable untapped potential both at the laboratory preparative scale and also at larger scale.

Introduction
This article gives a chromatographer’s perspective of the potential of countercurrent chromatography (CCC) in the pharmaceutical industry, specifically relating to highperformance countercurrent (HPCCC) instruments. The work described has been performed by a consortium consisting of GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, Dynamic Extractions and Brunel University and is part of a three-year project sponsored by the UK Government’s Technology Strategy Board as part of its high value manufacturing programme.

Although CCC has always had a relatively low profile in separation science we believe that it has considerable unrealised potential to improve both laboratory and manufacturing efficiency. In the laboratory for example the opportunity is to enhance overall separation capability. This will require the integration of CCC technology to a similar extent to that achieved in HPLC giving the same degree of instrumental control and automated method development. This will allow the instrumentation to be integrated into a broader strategy for preparative separations. As a manufacturing tool, CCC promises lower costs compared to other large scale chromatographic separation technology with potential applications such as reclamation of waste streams for high value products.

CCC is applicable to preparative separations covering a range of scales from a few milligrams through to kilograms and can be operated in both batch and semicontinuous modes. Relatively large-scale chromatographic separations can be achieved using CCC and in batch mode for example throughputs of the order of 10kg/day have been projected [1]. Potential loading in a semi-continuous mode has not been established but initial research indicates that it will be about 5 to 6 times higher than for batch mode.