Antibiotic intermediates (6-APA, 7-ACA): Feedstocks
Why maize, soy and cheap power decide antibiotic costs
What this tab covers What it is made from and what it feeds: the raw materials and energy per tonne with their share of cost (linked to the commodity table), who is low-cost and why, and the chemicals made from it.Fermentation intermediates are made from sugar and starch, soy and corn steep nutrients, a side-chain precursor (phenylacetic acid), solvents for extraction, and a great deal of electricity for aeration, agitation and cooling. Producers with cheap coal power and local maize, as in Inner Mongolia, Hebei and Xinjiang, are lowest cost.
Inputs per tonne
| Input | Quantity per tonne | Role | Share of cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mz Maize | not published | carbon and energy source | not published | Aurobindo (2024) |
| Su Sugar | not published | carbon source | not published | qualitative |
| Soy Soybeans | not published | nitrogen and nutrients | not published | qualitative |
| Electricity | not published | aeration, agitation, cooling | large (indicative) | qualitative |
| Oil Crude oil | not published | extraction and side-chain precursor | not published | qualitative |
Who is low-cost, and why
Chinese plants with captive coal power and local maize in northern provinces are cheapest. India's Lyfius plant has comparable scale but needs MIP or duty protection, per its own trade remedy application.
Raw materials on the commodity table
Mz MaizeSu SugarWhat it is made into
| Product | Note |
|---|---|
| API Small-molecule APIs | amoxicillin, cephalosporins |
| KSM Pharma starting materials and intermediates | fermentation KSM category |