Facilities and bases

AGC Pharma Chemicals’ R&D department is a hub of innovation, where cutting-edge research and hands-on experience converge. We use the latest technology to develop and optimize API (API synthesis) synthesis, providing robust and scalable processes that meet the pharmaceutical industry’s most stringent standards for safety and quality.

Our R&D department is located at the Yokohama Technical Center and the Chiba Plant Technology Group in Japan, and at the site in Spain (Barcelona) overseas. These locations are staffed by highly qualified individuals with pharmaceutical backgrounds and expertise in organic synthesis.

The R&D department performs route search, process development and optimization, analytical method development, and stability testing from early stages to commercialization projects.

If you would like more information about our R&D department, please feel free to contact us.

AGC Yokohama Technical Center (formerly Keihin Factory) began operations in 1916 in Tsurumi Ward, Yokohama City, the center of the Keihin Waterfront Industrial Zone. The center is located in the Suehiro Town Twin Frontier, which has been rapidly developing as a technology development base in recent years, and was integrated with the Central Research Institute located in Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama City in 2021. As a result, AGC Corporation plays a role as a central center for technology development in both name and reality. Currently, there are more than 1,000 developers enrolled, of which about 25 are engaged in synthetic medicines in the field of life sciences.

The center has a diverse range of people with specialized backgrounds, including talented young researchers with extensive knowledge of organic synthesis and researchers with experience in the pharmaceutical industry. In addition to excellent human resources, we also have complete laboratory equipment to meet a wide range of customer needs, and have received high praise from many customers. Our center contributes to the success of your project through the search for optimal reaction routes, safe and secure process development and scale-up, and seamless technology transfer to the Chiba and Spain sites.

The Chiba site has a kiln of up to 15,000L and a wide range of reactor capacities. Materials range from glass lining (GL) and stainless steel (SUS) to Hastelloy, and we propose the most suitable equipment according to the customer’s product specifications.
The temperature can be controlled from ultra-low (-40°C) to high (250°C) and can be used for reactions under high-pressure conditions. In addition, the powerful agitation ability allows the handling of highly viscous and sticky substances without any problems. In addition, we have a full range of separation and drying equipment, such as centrifuges, filters, and various dryers (decompression, freezing, and spray dryers) required for the post-reaction process, to support the creation of high-quality products.

We have a technology group at the Chiba site, and we are building robust processes by conducting tracing experiments and scale-up synthesis based on the root processes that have already been developed. Based on the established process, we will smoothly bridge to the manufacturing plants (CMP1 and CMP2) in the Chiba Plant. Like the Yokohama Technical Center, we have excellent and diverse backgrounds and rich experience of our researchers to meet the diverse needs of our customers.

The Spanish site took over a facility in Catalonia from German pharmaceutical giant Boehringer Ingelheim in March 2019. Prior to the acquisition, AGC was a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant, but AGC has undergone significant evolution as a synthetic pharmaceutical CDMO company with the addition of a new development, sales and IT (information technology) department. The facility is equipped with an OEB5-compatible kilo lab, and a commercial manufacturing plant, and is currently well on its way to increase production capacity.

In addition, there are several Japan staff members in the area, including the CEO, and they understand Japan’s culture and business customs. For Japan customers’ projects, we will bridge the gap with the local area with the support of Japan PMs (project managers) based in Japan. Therefore, you can use it without worrying about the language.

The Kilo Labs at the Spanish site is designed to mimic a commercial production plant and meets the highest standards of pharmaceutical manufacturing while complying with cGMP. The manufacturing environment includes a class D/ISO 8 clean room, which provides 100% fresh air through a HEPA filter and fully meets the handling requirements of OEB5 (0.1~1 μg/m³). The facility is equipped with dedicated airlocks and mist showers for the flow of goods and people, allowing for controlled access and minimizing the risk of contamination. It is also compatible with ATEX zones, allowing for safe operation in environments where potentially explosive atmospheres are present.

The KILOLAB includes 23L/50L/70L reactors, ideal for high-capacity reactions, and is equipped with a filter dryer capable of producing up to 7 kg of solid products, which also caters to low-temperature projects. Flexible equipment configurations allow for easy assembly and disassembly. In addition, the facility is equipped with a control unit, a safety workbench for laboratory-scale work and analytical sampling, an isolator for dispensing, and dedicated support areas such as staff/goods airlocks and washing rooms to support API and HAPI manufacturing processes smoothly and compliantly.

The Spanish site can handle scalable commercial production from gram to ton in the production of Highly Potent Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (HPAPIs).
Our equipment is designed based on a variety of containment strategies for the safe handling of Highly Potent Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients, including OEB5 and OEB4 environments.
Through its commitment to safety and toxicology assessment and process excellence, AGC Pharma Chemicals is committed to providing safe, flexible, and compliant solutions for all your Highly Potent Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients needs.