LiLiChro LLC

When conventional preparative chromatography begins to limit scalability, recovery, or process robustness, alternative separation approaches become increasingly relevant.

LiLiChro LLC is a European manufacturer of centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC) systems, delivering scalable liquid–liquid chromatography solutions for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and fine chemical industries.

The company focuses on purification challenges where conventional chromatography approaches reach practical limitations related to column cost, irreversible adsorption, scale-up complexity, or handling of complex feedstocks.

LiLiChro’s mission is not to replace existing technologies universally, but to provide a technically and economically viable alternative where traditional methods reach their boundaries.

A technology built on liquid–liquid preparative chromatography

CPC is a form of liquid–liquid preparative chromatography that operates without a solid stationary phase. Instead, separation is achieved between two immiscible liquid phases, one of which is retained in a rotating system by centrifugal force.

This approach fundamentally changes several aspects of chromatographic purification.

Without a solid phase, there is no irreversible adsorption, no column degradation, and no dependency on packed media. As a result, CPC can offer advantages in:

• CPC purification of complex mixtures
• recovery of compounds sensitive to surface interactions
• processing of crude or particulate-containing feeds
• applications where column lifetime or replacement cost becomes a limiting factor

At the same time, CPC is not intended as a universal replacement for all chromatographic workflows. Its relevance depends on the specific separation challenge, process constraints, and scalability requirements.

This raises a practical question for many development teams:

When does a solid-phase chromatography system cease to be optimal, and what alternatives are available at that point?

Scalable chromatography systems without re-optimisation

One of the key limitations in preparative and process chromatography is scale-up.

In many preparative chromatography systems, method transfer from laboratory to production scale requires iterative re-validation due to changes in column packing, pressure, and flow dynamics.

LiLiChro CPC systems are designed as scalable chromatography systems, based on linear scale-up principles. Methods developed on laboratory-scale instruments can be transferred to pilot and industrial systems using defined volumetric relationships.

This reduces the need for repeated optimisation cycles and allows process development to proceed with greater predictability.

Applications in API purification and downstream processing

LiLiChro CPC technology is particularly relevant in:

• API purification chromatography
• downstream purification technology for biotechnological processes
• separation of structurally similar compounds
• impurity removal in late-stage synthesis

In these environments, the choice of purification method directly impacts yield, reproducibility, and process economics.

CPC introduces a different selectivity mechanism compared to solid-phase systems, which can lead to improved separations in specific cases.

However, the critical question remains application-specific whether a liquid–liquid system provides a better separation environment for your molecule than a solid-phase system.

Handling process complexity

Modern purification challenges increasingly involve complex feedstocks, crude extracts, fermentation broths, or impurity-rich reaction mixtures.

In traditional systems, these often require extensive pre-treatment to avoid fouling, clogging, or pressure-related issues.

Because CPC does not rely on a packed column, it is inherently less sensitive to these effects. This can reduce the need for upstream preparation steps and improve overall process robustness.

Expertise behind the technology

LiLiChro is built on decades of experience in liquid–liquid chromatography and CPC development.

The company was founded by László Frici Németh, a recognised expert in the field and a key contributor to the industrial advancement of centrifugal partition chromatography. His work includes multiple innovations and patents related to CPC technology and its practical implementation in industrial environments.

Unlike purely academic developments, LiLiChro’s approach is strongly application-driven, focusing on real-world process challenges in pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturing.

This combination of engineering, process understanding, and practical experience defines the company’s position in the chromatography landscape.

A process-driven evaluation approach

Not every purification problem is a good fit for CPC. LiLiChro works with a feasibility-first approach, evaluating each application based on the specific compound, separation challenge, and process constraints.

This includes:

• initial assessment of suitability
• optional experimental screening
• technical consultation on scalability and integration

The goal is to determine whether CPC represents a meaningful improvement over existing methods.

Evaluate CPC for your process

If you are working with:

• increasing column costs
• scale-up challenges in preparative chromatography
• complex or difficult-to-handle feedstocks
• limitations in existing purification workflows

It may be worth exploring whether liquid–liquid chromatography offers a different solution space.

LiLiChro provides initial screening and consultation to evaluate the applicability of CPC in your specific process.

Submit your process details to determine whether CPC is the right approach for your purification challenge.