CHE.08 – Revolutionizing Pharma: Continuous Production of Acetaminophen

• Sofia Capron
• Shray Patel
• Melina Savaglio
• Jailin Turner

Acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol, is the most used pain reliever in the world. Thus, acetaminophen production is vital to meet consumer needs for a better quality of life. The purpose of this project is to meet the estimated United States acetaminophen market growth of 6 percent by using a novel continuous production method instead of the typical batch production method. This will increase the acetaminophen production market share in the United States to compete with China and India’s market shares. Acetaminophen can be produced via several reaction pathways which use different starting materials. The proposed pathway synthesizes acetaminophen from para aminophenol and acetic anhydride, and the continuous production method allows for increased efficiency and cost savings. This study proposes a pharmaceutical plant located in Boston, Massachusetts that will produce 50,000 metric tons per year. The proposed location will minimize raw materials, transportation, and labor costs. Plant revenue is estimated to be hundreds of millions of dollars per year, with a reasonable payback period of 5 years or less. The implications of this study transcend the acetaminophen market, with benefits for the entirety of the pharmaceutical industry. Transitioning pharmaceutical manufacturing from batch to continuous processes will transform the industry by allowing for larger production quantities, less human error, lower production costs, and more consistent product quality.