The ClarosTechUV PFAS Destruction System met or exceeded Bachem's established performance metrics for TFA during two weeks of testing under real-world manufacturing conditions at the company's flagship campus in Bubendorf, Switzerland
MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Claros Technologies (Claros), a global leader in permanent PFAS destruction technology, today announced the successful completion of a commercial-scale pilot of its ClarosTechUV system at the flagship Swiss manufacturing campus of Bachem AG (Bachem) in Bubendorf, Switzerland. Bachem is one of the world's leading manufacturers of peptide and oligonucleotide active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), including semaglutide, the API used in blockbuster GLP-1 therapies, widely used for weight management and type 2 diabetes.
The pilot further demonstrates the broad applicability of the ClarosTechUV system and marks another key milestone for Claros: the successful application of ClarosTechUV under real-world pharmaceutical manufacturing conditions to destroy TFA at the source. The pilot also highlights the role PFAS destruction technology can play in enabling the responsible and sustainable use of PFAS substances necessary for essential applications by providing manufacturers with a solution designed to permanently destroy target PFAS in industrial wastewater.
"This relationship with Bachem represents a defining milestone for Claros and an important step forward for the global pharmaceutical industry," said Michelle Bellanca, CEO and Co-Founder of Claros Technologies. "As pharmaceutical manufacturing expands, particularly around peptide therapeutics and GLP-1 medicines, the industry is increasingly confronting how to address ultra-short-chain PFAS such as TFA in industrial wastewater. Bachem is demonstrating the kind of leadership that will define the future of pharmaceutical and industrial manufacturing by proactively deploying ClarosTechUV technology to destroy TFA at the source. We are incredibly proud to collaborate with one of the world's leading peptide manufacturers on this important work."
Bachem is a global leader in the development and manufacture of peptide and oligonucleotide APIs, supplying pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies around the world. As demand for peptide therapeutics, including those used in GLP-1 medicines, and other critical medications continues to accelerate, the growth of pharmaceutical manufacturing is bringing increasing attention to environmental stewardship.
Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), an ultra-short-chain PFAS, is receiving increasing regulatory attention in Europe and the United States. European authorities are evaluating broader PFAS restrictions under the REACH framework, while the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed including TFA in the Sixth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 6) for nationwide drinking water monitoring.
Against this evolving regulatory backdrop, Bachem has taken a proactive approach by deploying ClarosTechUV to support the responsible and sustainable use of PFAS substances necessary for essential pharmaceutical applications, while addressing TFA in its industrial wastewater at the source and helping future-proof its production of essential products against an evolving global regulatory landscape. ClarosTechUV is designed to fit within existing treatment trains, enabling manufacturers to add PFAS destruction capability without changing their entire treatment setup.
Unlike conventional PFAS treatment technologies that often require additional management and disposal, the patented ClarosTechUV PFAS Destruction System is designed to permanently destroy PFAS at the source-including ultra-short-chain PFAS such as TFA-through an on-site, low-footprint, proprietary high-flow UV photochemical process engineered for industrial wastewater treatment.
The Claros pilot forms part of Bachem's broader commitment to reducing TFA in its industrial wastewater and advancing more environmentally responsible pharmaceutical manufacturing. In a recent article published by the Swiss newspaper Volksstimme detailing the Claros pilot, Patrick Barth, Head Group Communications at Bachem, said that following ClarosTechUV treatment of Bachem's industrial wastewater, "only very low residual concentrations of TFA were detectable."
In the same article, André Casagrande, Site Manager at Bachem's Bubendorf campus, placed the company's work with Claros within Bachem's broader approach to responsible pharmaceutical manufacturing. "Innovation and environmental responsibility go hand in hand for us," Casagrande said. "We want not only to help people through our products, but also to play a responsible role with regard to the environment."
Engineered for the Next Generation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
The ClarosTechUV system is engineered specifically for high-flow industrial operations and designed to integrate seamlessly into existing manufacturing wastewater systems. Unlike conventional technologies that separate PFAS into secondary waste streams requiring ongoing management and disposal, ClarosTechUV permanently destroys PFAS for good. The Bachem pilot generated operating data under full manufacturing conditions to inform engineering and design decisions for a commercial system.
About Bachem AG
Bachem is a leading, innovation-driven company specializing in the development and manufacture of peptides and oligonucleotides. The company, which has over 50 years of experience and expertise, provides products for research, clinical development, and commercial application to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies worldwide and offers a comprehensive range of services. Bachem operates internationally with its headquarters in Switzerland and sites in Europe, the US and Asia. The company is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX: BANB).
For more information, visit Bachem.
About Claros Technologies
Founded in 2018 and based in Minneapolis, Claros Technologies deploys PFAS destruction solutions across industrial wastewater, groundwater, data center water, and municipal wastewater applications. The company operates through two core divisions: ClarosTech delivers permanent PFAS destruction through commercially available, high-flow UV-based systems that permanently destroy 99.99% of target PFAS species-long, short, and ultra-short chains; and ClarosLabs, its ISO/IEC 17025:2017-accredited analytical division and leading commercial laboratory specializing in PFAS detection, quantification, and exposure assessment.
Claros is on a mission to take the "forever" out of "forever chemicals" and destroy PFAS for good.
For more information, visit Claros Technologies.
Media Contact for Claros Technologies
Kari Finkler
Marketing & Communications Director
Email: kari@clarostech.com
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