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Youri Mesmoudi, the Executive Vice President of Taros Chemicals GmbH & Co. KG, explains in the Hot Seat interview how the company supports the pharmaceutical, biotech, agrochemical, and deep-tech industries with innovative chemical solutions. From tailored drug discovery to sustainable synthesis processes – Taros accelerates R&D projects efficiently and helps companies develop competitive and environmentally friendly solutions.
Can you give us a brief overview of Taros Discovery? What services do you offer, and which companies or industries benefit the most from your expertise?
Taros Chemicals GmbH & Co. KG is an independent, privately held contract research organization based in Dortmund, Germany. Since 1999, we have been providing customized synthesis solutions and chemical services for biotechnology, pharmaceutical, agrochemical, deep-tech, and performance materials companies.
In our “Drug Discovery” business unit, we offer the full spectrum of chemical and biological services for drug development up to the clinical phase. In our “Performance Chemicals” business unit, our scientists primarily support clients from the chemical industry and startups in the deep-tech, green-tech, and related sectors in developing new (bio-based) high-performance chemicals with enhanced properties and competitive advantages. We also assist in scaling these from the lab to production.
Additionally, we leverage our expertise and technical facilities in Germany and India to optimize and refine already established production processes for clients. This includes improving cost efficiency, process safety and robustness, and implementing more environmentally friendly synthesis methods.
Innovation plays a major role in chemical research. How does Taros Discovery support companies in developing innovative solutions and efficiently advancing their R&D projects?
Innovation drives chemical research, and Taros Discovery actively supports companies in efficiently executing their R&D projects. With our expertise in customized synthesis and computational chemistry, we develop innovative solutions for specific challenges.
By utilizing digital tools, automation, and Design of Experiments (DOE) methods, we explore and optimize molecules, develop new chemical entities, enhance synthesis processes, and produce commercial quantities at our site in India. Our goal is to be a reliable partner in enabling, accelerating, and commercializing our clients’ innovations as quickly as possible.
With over 110 employees across our locations, we actively shorten development times, minimize R&D risks for our clients, and help them achieve their market entry goals.
Sustainability is becoming increasingly important in the chemical industry. What approaches does Taros Discovery take to promote sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions in chemical research?
Alongside innovation, we work closely with our clients to integrate sustainable chemistry and circular economy principles, minimizing environmental impact and establishing long-term resource-efficient solutions.One key approach is optimizing chemical syntheses to replace hazardous solvents and streamline reaction pathways. For example, we reduce the use of toxic solvents like dichloromethane and replace them with greener alternatives such as water or biodegradable solvents.
We also improve reaction atom economy by minimizing byproducts and using raw materials more efficiently. Transitioning to milder reaction conditions—such as performing reactions at room temperature instead of high-temperature processes—significantly reduces energy consumption.
Additionally, we prioritize the use of renewable raw materials and recycling processes. Instead of relying solely on petrochemical feedstocks, we develop syntheses using bio-based raw materials such as sugars, plant oils, or even CO₂ as an alternative carbon source, where it aligns with our clients’ project goals. We also implement recycling strategies, such as solvent recovery through distillation and the regeneration of expensive catalysts like palladium or platinum, helping our clients reduce both costs and environmental impact.
Another crucial aspect of our sustainable research is reducing the amount of reactants, solvents, and energy required for a synthesis through more efficient processes. When the underlying chemistry and business case allow, we increasingly use flow chemistry, which offers more precise control over reaction conditions, saves energy, and reduces waste compared to conventional batch processes. Additionally, we incorporate enzymatic synthesis as an alternative to chemical reagents, avoiding the production of hazardous byproducts.
Our goal is to embed sustainability not just as a concept but as a fundamental part of chemical research and development. Through our innovative approaches, we offer our clients and partners environmentally friendly solutions while also providing economic and regulatory advantages.
Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?
Recent article – “It’s Flowing in the SME Sector”: Taros, Ehrfeld, and HitecZang are helping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) adopt flow chemistry and integrate it into their business in a cost-effective manner. This enables, for example, the faster production of aroma compounds while requiring less space for manufacturing facilities.
Mit einem Doppelabschluss in Betriebswirtschaftslehre von der European School of Business (ESB) der Reutlingen University und dem Centre d’Études Supérieures Européennes de Management (CESEM) in Reims bringt Youri Mesmoudi umfassende Expertise in den Bereichen Geschäftsstrategie, kommerzielle Führung und internationale Marktexpansion mit. Seit seinem Einstieg bei Taros im Jahr 2011 ergänzt er das Unternehmen mit seinem weitreichenden kaufmännischen Know-how und treibt gezielt die Geschäftsentwicklung voran. Als zentrale Kraft hinter der Expansion von Taros spielt er eine entscheidende Rolle bei der strategischen Ausrichtung des Unternehmens, der Stärkung von Partnerschaften und der Bereitstellung maßgeschneiderter chemischer Lösungen für Kunden aus den Bereichen Life Sciences, Biotechnologie, Material Sciences und Medizintechnik weltweit. Seit 1993 hatte Youri leitende Managementpositionen in verschiedenen Branchen inne, mit Fokus auf General Management, Finanzen, Geschäftsentwicklung und Marketing in renommierten Unternehmen wie Mercedes-Benz, NSM-Löwen der FRANKE Group und Arvato-Bertelsmann. Seine Fähigkeit, Organisationen durch strategisches Wachstum zu führen, Geschäftsprozesse zu optimieren und leistungsstarke Teams zu leiten, war dabei ein wesentlicher Erfolgsfaktor. Als Entrepreneur co-gründete und skalierte er erfolgreich ein IT-Unternehmen für Web-Softwarelösungen, das über 10.000 Lizenzen in der D-A-CH-Region verkaufte. Bei Taros setzt sich Youri gezielt für Innovation, nachhaltiges Wachstum und den Einsatz neuer Technologien ein, um die Position des Unternehmens in der chemischen Forschung und Produktion weiter zu stärken und nachhaltig auszubauen.
