Snapdragon Chemistry Receives $1.5m DARPA Grant to Develop Continuous Technology for US-based Manufacturing

WALTHAM, Mass., Feb. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The US Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) has selected Snapdragon Chemistry, Inc., for a $1.5-million grant to develop continuous technology for US-based manufacturing, a deal that will help secure the domestic supply chain and provide cost-savings for pharmaceuticals in the United States. Snapdragon is using the grant money to develop its highly automated continuous manufacturing platform to convert chemicals into valuable starting materials for pharmaceutical manufacturing.

"We are thrilled to be selected by DARPA to further our development efforts," said Matthew Bio, President, and CEO of Snapdragon Chemistry. "This grant will allow us to bring together expertise in automation and continuous manufacturing to create a platform technology for the manufacture of pharmaceutical intermediates and fine chemicals. We expect this technology will become a key component of a secure national supply chain for the chemical components critical to health and human welfare."

Snapdragon CSO, Dr. Eric Fang commented: "DARPA has been at the forefront of funding the most cutting-edge technologies that have changed the world. The DARPA grant will facilitate our development of next-generation continuous flow manufacturing technology for flexible, on-demand production of a diverse set of vitally important fine chemical building blocks from commodity chemicals with far less waste compared with the existing 'dirty chemistry' that was originally developed in the late 19^th century."

The grant includes development funding over the next 24 months, with additional funding for the commercialization of the concept in the subsequent 12 months. R&D will focus on the design of a programmable platform manufacturing system able to process commodity feedstocks into high-value functionalized building blocks.

The technology platforms developed in-house by Snapdragon and enhanced by the DARPA grant will help usher in a new era of chemistry and pharmaceutical production.

About Snapdragon Chemistry

Snapdragon Chemistry is a chemical technology firm providing contract development services for pharmaceutical and fine chemical manufacturing.  Snapdragon's headquarters, R&D, and manufacturing facilities are located in Waltham, MA. 

Contact:  
David Tanklefsky 
[email protected]  
617.337.9515

SOURCE Snapdragon Chemistry