# Antibiotic intermediates (6-APA, 7-ACA) and Sugar

Sugar is a raw material for antibiotic intermediates (6-APA, 7-ACA); their prices have moved together.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/links/antibiotic-intermediates-6-apa-7-aca-and-sugar/

[Antibiotic intermediates (6-APA, 7-ACA)](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/antibiotic_intermediates/) (chemical) and [Sugar](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/sugar/) (commodity): 2 relationships.

## How they are linked

### 1. Feedstock

*Physical flow · Direct · Sugar → Antibiotic intermediates (6-APA, 7-ACA)*

Antibiotic intermediates (6-APA, 7-ACA) is made from sugar: it is one of the raw materials its production routes start from.

### 2. Price link: fermentation feed

*Cost and price · Weak · Both ways*

Glucose and sucrose feed the fungi that produce penicillin G and cephalosporin C. The proxy shows no clear link, with monthly moves at -0.05 and yearly at -0.25, as US antibiotic prices reflect generic competition, not inputs.

- **-0.05** monthly change correlation
- **-0.25** 12-month change correlation
- **-0.44** fitted elasticity

Built from the site data on production routes, energy flows, industry value chains, input-output tables and prices.