Development of a small volume continuous process that used a combination of batch and flow unit operations to manufacture the small molecule oncolytic candidate merestinib is described. Continuous processing was enabled following the identification and development of suitable chemical transformations and unit operations. Aspects of the nascent process control strategy were evaluated in the context of a 20 kg laboratory demonstration campaign, executed in walk-in fume hoods at a throughput of 5–10 kg of active pharmaceutical ingredient per day. The process comprised an automated Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reaction, a nitro-group hydrogenolysis, a continuous amide bond formation, and a continuous deprotection. Three of the four steps were purified using mixed-suspension, mixed-product removal crystallizations. Process analytical technology enabled real-time or nearly real-time process diagnostics. Findings from the demonstration campaign informed a second process development cycle as well as decision making for what steps to implement using continuous processing in a proximate manufacturing campaign, which will be described in part 2 of this series.

Technology transfer of a small volume continuous (SVC) process and Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) manufacturing of merestinib are described. A hybrid batch-SVC campaign was completed at a contract manufacturing organization under cGMP. The decision process by which unit operations were selected for implementation in flow for the cGMP campaign is discussed. The hybrid process comprised a Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reaction, a nitro-group hydrogenolysis, a continuous amide bond formation, and a continuous deprotection. A continuous crystallization using two mixed suspension, mixed product removal (MSMPR) crystallizers and a filtration with in situ dissolution were employed for purification between the two SVC steps. Impurity levels were monitored using both online process analytical technology (PAT) and offline measurements. The continuous processing steps operated uninterrupted for 18 days to yield the drug substance in solution at a throughput of 12.5 kg/day. Crystallization in batch mode afforded 183 kg of the drug substance in specification. Success of the campaign was attributed to robustness of the control strategy and to the multiyear partnership in continuous manufacturing between the development organization and the contract manufacturer. Key learnings are offered from the perspectives of both the development organization and the contract manufacturer.

An efficient synthesis of LY2886721 (1) in five steps and 46% overall yield from the chiral nitrone cycloadduct 2 is presented. Minimizing formation of a des-fluoro impurity during hydrogenolysis to cleave the isoxazolidine ring and remove the benzyl chiral auxiliary was a key challenge. Installation of the aminothiazine moiety required careful stoichiometry control of the reagents BzNCS and CDI, including in situ conversion monitoring, to minimize byproduct formation. A remarkably regioselective peptide coupling afforded 1 without competing acylation at the aminothiazine nitrogen or bis-acylation. Consideration of the combined chemistry and crystallization process identified an optimal solvent system for the peptide coupling and a reactive crystallization that afforded 1 in high purity and with physical property control. A slurry milling operation near the end of the crystallization, followed by "pH cycles" to digest fines formed during milling, significantly reduced the crystal aspect ratio and provided desirable API bulk density and powder flow properties.

An asymmetric enantioselective aryl transfer reaction was developed to give access to the diarylmethanol 7 and ultimately acetate 2 which is useful for the preparation of mGlu2 receptor potentiators (Scheme 3). The aryl transfer chemistry involved the preparation of a proposed arylalkylzinc species 14 from boroxine 16 and diethylzinc (DEZ), and reacting this mixture with aldehyde 5 in the presence of chiral ligand 15. During the course of optimizing the preparations of proposed intermediate 14 and diarylmethanol 7, an understanding of optimal stoichiometry and reaction times was gained through empirical observation, the use of solution IR, and analyzing off-gases via real time gas analysis/mass spectroscopy. The preparation of diarylmethanol 7 and subsequent conversion into acetate 2 required carefully selected workups, selective extractions, and azeotropic distillations to generate a series of stock solutions to accommodate oil intermediates that finally gave acetate 2 as a crystalline solid with >99% ee.

To fuel clinical development of the experimental CNS medicine LY2140023, we developed a scalable route for the multistep synthesis of a pivotal synthetic intermediate. The core of the conformationally restricted glutamic acid-based amino acid analogue was built via a Rh-catalyzed cyclopropanation of thiophene. Regioselective functionalization of the remaining double bond was achieved by a hydroboration/oxidation sequence followed by a BuchererÀBergs reaction to give a hydantoin with the targeted L-glutamic acid configuration. Subsequent resolution, oxidation state, and protecting group manipulations gave the key intermediate in an overall nine-step scalable streamlined route starting from thiophene.