Peptides and oligonucleotides: Emissions
Why a kilo of peptide can carry tonnes of carbon
What this tab covers The greenhouse-gas footprint per tonne, split by lifecycle phase (feedstock, production, movement, use, end of life), the global total, other environmental impacts, levers and low-carbon routes, India's position, and where the investment opportunity lies.Per kg of peptide or oligonucleotide API, cradle-to-gate. Intensity: derived from Kekessie et al. 2024 and Pharma's Almanac (2025) PMI (indicative). Global total: derived.
Share of footprint by lifecycle phase
Feedstock 50% Production / process 45% Movement 5%Footprint by lifecycle phase
| Phase | Intensity | Share | Main sources of emissions | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feedstock | solvents and building blocks | 50% | virgin DMF, acetonitrile, protected amino acids | indicative | indicative |
| Production / process | HVAC for cleanrooms, lyophilisation, solvent incineration | 45% | incineration of spent solvent and cleanroom energy | indicative | indicative |
| Movement | air freight | 5% | cold chain | indicative | indicative |
| Use | pens and packaging, not the API | – | single-use pens | device footprint can exceed API footprint per dose (not quantified) | |
| End of life | pen and needle waste | – | medical waste incineration | not quantified |
Other environmental impacts
Reprotoxic solvent exposure (DMF, NMP), PFAS-adjacent TFA releases, large hazardous waste streams.
Levers to cut emissions
- Solvent recovery and recycling of DMF and acetonitrile
- Greener solvents (binary mixtures replacing DMF)
- LPPS, hybrid and continuous chromatography to cut PMI
- Recombinant or enzymatic ligation routes
- Renewable power for cleanrooms
India
Indian peptide capacity is new, so solvent recovery and green-solvent processes can be designed in; no published footprint found.
Emission figures are indicative global averages from the life-cycle studies named; actual footprints vary widely by site, energy mix and method.Low-carbon routes
| Route | Intensity | Cost premium | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liquid-phase and hybrid peptide synthesis | lower PMI than SPPS (not published) | lower cost at scale (indicative) | in use for tirzepatide and some generics | Liu et al. (2026) via Pharma's Almanac |