Press release
Products
October 23, 2013

Evonik improves its L-ornithine L-aspartate production process

Essen, Germany. Thanks to an improved production process Evonik Industries can now offer the pharmaceutical active ingredient L-ornithine L-aspartate (LOLA) in even higher quality and on more favorable terms. "We want to share with our customers the cost advantages we’ve gained by increasing process efficiency," says Dr. Thomas Hermann, Head of Evonik’s Rexim Product Line. At the CPhI Worldwide trade show in Frankfurt, the specialty chemicals group announced an immediate price reduction of five to ten percent for LOLA.

The LOLA production process, based on fermentative production of L-ornithine and biocatalytic production of L-aspartic acid with subsequent purification to cGMP or food quality, has been improved at every stage. Crystals of particularly high purity can now be obtained. Due to this level of purity and higher stability compared to competitors’ products, LOLA from Evonik is well suited for use in all applications such as infusion solutions or tablets. The capability to produce granules from the product has been further improved which leads to even more easy processing.

Evonik offers its customers ready-to-use formulations for L-ornithine L-aspartate tableting and will also, at the customer’s request, support the development of specific formulation solutions for this product.

LOLA is used as a therapeutic agent for the liver and supports the ammonia detoxification of the organism. A frequent area of application is in the treatment of hepatic encephalopathy. In response to increasing demand Evonik has expanded LOLA production capacity at its Ham site in France. “Complete backward integration of our production enables us to offer consistently high quality and supply security,” says Hermann.

Both of Evonik’s production sites for pharmaceutical amino acids, Ham and Wuming (China), are US FDA audited and regularly visited by European and Asian regulatory authorities. Both sites also meet HACCP, halal, and kosher standards. In addition to L-ornithine L-aspartate in GMP quality, Evonik produces ornithine, ornithine HCl, and other ornithine salts for pharmaceutical, technical, and nutritional applications.

Company information

Evonik, the creative industrial group from Germany, is one of the world leaders
in specialty chemicals. Profitable growth and a sustained increase in the value of the company form the heart of Evonik’s corporate strategy. Its activities focus on the key megatrends health, nutrition, resource efficiency and globalization. Evonik benefits specifically from its innovative prowess and integrated technology platforms.

Evonik is active in over 100 countries around the world. In fiscal 2012 more than 33,000 employees generated sales of around €13.4 billion and an operating profit (adjusted EBITDA) of about €2.4 billion (excluding Real Estate in both cases).

Disclaimer

In so far as forecasts or expectations are expressed in this press release or where our statements concern the future, these forecasts, expectations or statements may involve known or unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual results or developments may vary, depending on changes in the operating environment. Neither Evonik Industries AG nor its group companies assume an obligation to update the forecasts, expectations or statements contained in this release.