Solid Form Strategies for Screening, Crystallization and Purification of Peptides: Vancomycin, a Case Study

Solid form research has traditionally focused on small-molecule APIs, where salt, cocrystal and polymorph screening are well established strategies for selecting optimal solid-state forms. Increasingly, attention is shifting to a wide range of New Chemical Modalities (NCMs) such as peptides, PROTACs, and oligonucleotides. Generally larger in molecular weight, these complex molecules offer enhanced target selectivity and access to challenging biological targets but are often difficult to crystallise and typically purified via chromatography, which is costly and inefficient at scale.

In this webinar, we present a case study on the crystallization of vancomycin, a glycopeptide antibiotic, demonstrating how solid form and particle engineering principles can be successfully applied to peptide systems. The study explores salt, cocrystal, and metal complex formation, with structural confirmation via SCXRD, and outlines the development and scale-up of a robust crystallization process supported by solubility modelling and in-line PAT monitoring. The resulting crystalline salt form delivered higher purity, improved stability, and a well-defined morphology compared to the amorphous material.

This talk highlighted how crystallization-based isolation and purification can serve as a scalable alternative to chromatography for peptide therapeutics, offering new possibilities for manufacturing efficiency and solid-state control.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

This presentation will be of interest to scientists in small to mid-size biotechs as well as large pharmaceutical organisations, including:

– R&D Scientists
– Solid Form / Crystallization Scientists
– Analytical Scientists
– Heads of Discovery
– Heads of Process Chemistry / Chemical Development
– Peptide Science Groups
– CMC Leads
– Consultants

This webinar was presented by Dr Richard Edwards and Dr Luke Chambers from Veranova