CMO Excellence in Green Chemistry Award

Purpose

To recognize outstanding efforts by Contract Manufacturing Organization (CMO) companies in pharmaceutical green chemistry in support of pharmaceutical research, development and manufacturing that demonstrate compelling environmental, safety and/or efficiency improvements.

Description

The ACS Green Chemistry Institute Pharmaceutical Roundtable (GCIPR) created the CMO Excellence in Green Chemistry Awards to recognize greener advances in synthetic route development for starting materials, intermediates, or active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), including reaction conditions and chemical or manufacturing technologies.

The submission should highlight the green and sustainable chemistry accomplishments at meaningful scale and must detail their significance (e.g., reduction in process mass intensity, improvement in RPG (iGAL), waste reduction, robustness, environmental, health, and safety impact reduction or elimination, reduction in the use of toxic and/or hazardous chemicals, solvents, reagents, etc.).

The award will be publicly presented at the ACS Green Chemistry Institute’s annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference in June. The recipient, or a member of the winning team, will be invited to share their technology in an oral presentation at this event. The speaker’s transportation, lodging, and registration fees for the conference are reimbursable up to $2,500 USD (additional funds available for international travel following ACS guidelines). The recipient or winning team will also receive a plaque recognizing the achievement and certificates will be given to each team member.

Chemistry enhances the quality of life and green chemistry is the path to enhanced global sustainability while delivering these benefits. The ACS GCIPR looks forward to receiving submissions for consideration for the CMO Excellence in Green Chemistry Award.

Eligibility

Accomplishments relative to the design principles of green chemistry at a meaningful scale are eligible for this award. Nominations must detail the significance (i.e., in yield, waste reduction, greenness (RPG), robustness, environmental impact, reduction of toxic and/or hazardous chemicals, etc.) of the chemistry or engineering.

The CMO Excellence in Green Chemistry Award seeks to recognize CMO company-level accomplishments that highlight a strategic commitment to green chemistry and engineering innovation and to greater industrial sustainability.

Nominees do not have to be members of the American Chemical Society or the ACS GCIPR. There is no geographic restriction.

Deadline

December 1, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. EST (GMT-5).

How to Apply

Applicants should submit through the ACS Green Chemistry Institute application portal. To use the portal, you will need to have or create a free ACS ID.

Please be prepared to submit the following information in the portal:

• Contact information of nominator
• Contact information of nominee(s)
• Title of green chemistry technology
• Focus area selection
  • Greener synthetic routes toward API or intermediates
  • Greener reaction conditions
  • Greener chemical or manufacturing technologies
• Abstract (300 words) - Describe the technology, the problem it addresses, and its benefits regarding the Design Principles of Green Chemistry and engineering. Include the degree of implementation and transferability to manufacturing. Also, include any quantitative benefits such as the (potential) amounts of hazardous substances eliminated, energy saved, carbon dioxide emissions eliminated, and water saved.
• Detailed description (max 3 pages) - The judges will evaluate the problem, chemistry, and realized or potential benefits.
  • Problem. Describe the challenges that existed prior to your improvements.
  • Chemistry. Describe the chemistry of your new technology emphasizing novelty, scientific merit, and application at demonstrated scalability (describe the scale performed to date).
  • Potential or realized benefits. Detail the benefits to human health and the environment by evaluating your technology against the Design Principles of Green Chemistry, such as reduced toxicity of process materials or intermediates, and reduction or elimination of hazardous substances and process intermediates.
• References

Judging Process

A panel of industrial pharmaceutical scientists will evaluate the applications and recommend a winner.

Notification

A panel of industrial pharmaceutical scientists will evaluate the application and recommend a winner. Notifications will go out in early 2025. 

Sponsor

ACS Green Chemistry Institute Pharmaceutical Roundtable (GCIPR)

Contact Information

Questions about the CMO should be directed to the ACS Green Chemistry Institute®.

• Email gcipr@acs.org (preferred)
• Telephone +1 (202) 872-6102