Sustainability Starts with the Product: MilliporeSigma’s Commitment to Sustainability Through Greener Alternative Products
MilliporeSigma, the U.S. and Canada Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, exceeded its product sustainability goals in 2024 by adding over 880 Greener Alternative Products to its portfolio. MilliporeSigma officially embedded sustainability as a required step in its product development processes in 2022 to target and quantify sustainability criteria in new products.
Products with significant sustainability characteristics are identified as Greener Alternative Products in MilliporeSigma’s portfolio. This approach benefits customers by putting more tools in their toolbox to help them reduce their environmental impact. Notable examples of new Greener Alternative Products include:
mPredict™ Co-Crystal Prediction Service
An artificial intelligence and computational chemistry-based tool that helps scientists predict how different drug molecules might combine with co-formers to form structures called co-crystals. It is used to improve efficiency during drug development because co-crystals may show enhanced properties such as solubility and stability. mPredict™ uses Green Chemistry concepts and a curated AI model to enable customers to identify 3x more viable hits than random digital testing, and eliminates the need for thousands of equivalent high-throughput chemical screening experiments.
Cellvento® ModiFeed Prime COMP
A highly concentrated, one-part, pH-neutral feed solution that replenishes depleted nutrients required for cellular function. It's used in biotechnology to help produce proteins and other products by providing cells with important nutrients to thrive in and to extend the production phase in fed-batch mode. The complexity of hydration, storage, and feeding is substantially reduced. Compared to other feed formulations, this new feed can now be stored in ambient temperatures (rather than refrigerated at 2-8°C), which potentially saves up to 365 kWh per year. Additionally, as a neutral pH feed, it eliminates the use of sodium hydroxide for pH adjustment, reducing materials needed.
TLC Explorer Documentation System
A compact device that digitally evaluates and records thin-layer chromatography (TLC), streamlining chromatography workflows. This solution offers up to a 50-60% mass reduction due to its compact design, replacing bulky traditional setups while eliminating the use of external computers and lightbulbs containing mercury. It features a thin LED matrix for illumination, an energy-efficient micro-camera, an embedded power-efficient 3-watt nanocomputer, and smartphone operability – offering scientists a compact tool for separating and identifying chemical compounds in mixtures.
To learn more about MilliporeSigma’s sustainability strategy and initiatives, visit the company’s sustainability webpages here.