ADVANCEMENTS IN DRUG DEVELOPMENT: SUSTAINABLE SYNTHETIC ROUTES AND MANUFACTURING

In order to lessen its impact on the environment, increase resource efficiency, and improve process safety while preserving product quality, the pharmaceutical sector is progressively implementing sustainable practices. The creation of environmentally safe synthetic pathways for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) has been made possible by developments in green chemistry, catalysis, and process intensification. Waste, energy consumption, and solvent usage have been shown to be significantly reduced by techniques including step-economical and atom-efficient synthesis, one-pot processes, biocatalysis, solvent substitution, continuous manufacturing, and modular production systems. The adoption of sustainable techniques has been hastened by industry-led green chemistry programs, public-private collaborations, and regulatory guidelines from organizations like the FDA, EMA, and ICH. Technical, financial, scale-up, and regulatory obstacles still exist despite these developments. It is anticipated that new developments such as AI-driven route design, net-zero manufacturing, circular economy models, and the incorporation of sustainability in early drug discovery will further shift pharmaceutical development toward efficient and ecologically conscious production. This review critically evaluates existing techniques, industrial case studies, regulatory measures, and future perspectives in sustainable medication development, giving a comprehensive viewpoint for researchers, industry experts, and politicians.