# Peptides and oligonucleotides: Feedstocks

Why solvents, not amino acids, make up most of the mass

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/peptides_oligos/feedstocks/

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.

The building blocks are protected amino acids, phosphoramidites and resins, but the mass is mostly solvent: DMF, NMP, DCM, acetonitrile and TFA. Solvent supply, recovery and disposal costs matter as much as building block prices. Producers with solvent recovery and access to acetonitrile (a by-product of acrylonitrile) have an edge.

#### Inputs per tonne

| Input | Quantity per tonne | Role | Share of cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Protected amino acids (Fmoc) and phosphoramidites** | several kg per kg API, with excess per coupling (indicative) | building blocks | large (indicative) | qualitative |
| [Oil Crude oil](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/crude_oil/) | most of PMI of 4,300-13,000 kg per kg | reaction and wash media, chromatography | not published | Pharma's Almanac (2025) |
| [F Fluorspar](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/fluorspar/) | not published | cleavage and HPLC modifier | not published | qualitative |

#### Who is low-cost, and why

Cost is driven by purification yield and solvent recovery. Large, dedicated GLP-1 lines (originators, Bachem) are cheapest; Chinese generic peptide makers compete on price for off-patent molecules.

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/peptides_oligos/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/peptides_oligos/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/peptides_oligos/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/peptides_oligos/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/peptides_oligos/production/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/peptides_oligos/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/peptides_oligos/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/peptides_oligos/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/peptides_oligos/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/peptides_oligos/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/peptides_oligos/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/peptides_oligos/links/index.md)