Denis SpitzerNovel processes for ultrafine powders

Today 90% of drugs, and nearly 40% of anticancer medication, do not dissolve properly, which hinders their absorption and requires the use of high doses. Faced with this challenge, Denis Spitzer, director of the Nanomaterials for Systems under Extreme Stress laboratory (CNRS / French-German Research Institute of Saint-Louis / Université de Strasbourg), has developed two processes that facilitate the study, formulation, and production of particles smaller than a micron –  an unprecedented feat. These techniques have made it possible, for the first time, to continuously produce industrial quantities of compounds for the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and agri-food industries, as well as for the energy transition (batteries, solar cells, etc.). These versatile, cost-effective, safe, and environmentally-friendly processes have given rise to eighteen patents, six of which are international, along with numerous partnerships. “By controlling reactions on a local scale, we create new products that are in high demand among industrial actors,” points out Spitzer, a research professor at the French-German Research Institute of Saint-Louis. Following a CNRS prematuration programme, Spitzer found industrial applications for his findings with the company Spinofrin.