Main Profile of Ercom
ERCOM Ltd. was founded in 1994 by a group of internationally known researchers of the Central Research Institute for Chemistry of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. The aim of the founders was to exploit their research experience and personal contacts in the production of chemicals used in the pharmaceutical and fine chemical industry.
ERCOM Ltd. carries out research and production activities in laboratories and at one pilot plant located within the campus of the Chemical Research Center (1025 Budapest, Pusztaszeri út 59-67.), in close cooperation with the analytical, informatics and structural departments of the Research Center.
ERCOM Ltd. conducts research activity and technical development in synthetic organic chemistry, as well as optimization and production in limited volume for well known national and international pharmaceutical and chemical companies. ERCOM Ltd. has an official license from the responsible authorities, adequate technical facilities, documentation and analytical system for manufacturing active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) according to the rules and requirements of cGMP.
Key Scientist of Ercom
Members of the Board of directors and researchers had earlier spent many years in universities, or in academic and industrial research institutions. Their research activities cover different fields of theoretical organic chemistry (reaction mechanism, stereochemistry), radiochemistry (synthesis, measurement technology) and bioorganic chemistry. The compounds studied involved carbohydrates, steroids, prostanoids, alkaloids, nucleotides, organophosphorous compounds as well as heterocyclic compounds containing oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen. The results have been published in about 750 scientific papers and 120 patents. Investigators also contributed to the elaboration of over 25 commercialized pharmaceutical products. The research staff produced 8 original antitumour and antiviral drugs, which passed preclinical tests. Two of these are currently used in therapy.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Prof. László Ötvös Ph.D., D.Sc. managing director I., research director
Lajos Gruber Ph.D., technical director
Prof. Ferenc Márta Ph.D., D.Sc., member of Hungarian Academy, scientific director
RESEARCHERS
Géza Janzsó Ph.D. manufacturing manager
Sándor Förgeteg Ph.D. head of quality assurance
Gyula Mikite Ph.D.
Prof. István Pintér Ph.D., D.Sc.
József Tóth Ph.D.
István Tömösközi Ph.D., D.Sc.
Strategy of Ercom in the NMC
The main activity field of Ercom in the VTC is to supply the active ingredients as well as PEI.HCl, Mannobiose, PEIm to the drug Dermavir. Ercom had to work out at first a laboratory procedure of the synthesis of PEIm, to produce it 5 g quantity and to find out suitable methods which are usable to produce PEIm at least in 50 g quantity (scale up).
Ercom Progress in the NMC (2006)
In 2006 Ercom has studied the interaction between PEI and D-glucose. The drug "DermaVir" contains in addition to DNA also D-glucose and polyethylene-imine (PEI). PEI as a secondary amine may enter into an undesirable Amadori reaction with the glucose therefore a details study of this transformation is required. The UV, IR and HPLC studies resulted in a recognition of a new conjugate. The formation of the latter depends on the molar ratios of PEI and D-glucose. This finding may be useful in drug development.
Ercom was also dealing with the preparation of PEI and Mannobiose investigating the possibilities of the scale up synthesis of these active ingredients of Dermavir.
