Biocatalysis

Biocatalysis is playing an increasingly important role in replacing traditional chemistry and enabling more efficient routes to target compounds. Our biocatalysis development services and enzyme engineering allow unprecedented access to novel synthetic routes. With Cost-efficiency, sustainability, and regulation becoming market drivers, applications of modern biocatalysis are surging.

Our services

Isomerase offers biocatalysis development services to a diverse range of sectors, serving as an innovation partner from concept to commercialization. In addition to our expertise in enzyme discovery and engineering, we can develop bespoke, high-titer, and scalable manufacturing processes to produce your enzyme and molecule in a single package. 

Biocatalysis Capabilities

• Biocatalyst identification: From evidence of target activity in a microbe, we source strains and generate protocols for the growth and preparation of genomic DNA. Following strain selection, we sequence and analyze genomes, generate enzyme shortlists, and screen libraries to confirm activity. 
• Enzyme expression: Isomerase operates across multiple microbial expression hosts, e.g., Escherichia, Pichia (Komagataella), Bacillus, and various actinomycetes. This breadth ensures your chosen IsoChassis^TM platform is best suited for the enzyme of interest and viable for the commercial process. 
• Enzyme engineering and evolution: We engineer enzymes with improved properties. EvoSelect^®, our internal bioinformatics tool, can design enzymes with increased solvent tolerance, thermal stability, and even circumvent intellectual property barriers
• USP/DSP biocatalysis development: From inoculation and fermentation to cell lysis and purification, Isomerase has tailored, scalable processes for rapid access to semi-pure enzymes.
• Reaction and Process optimization: We have an expertly trained team of scientists experienced in reaction optimization. With validated analytical tools and advanced DoE (Design of Experiments) approaches, reaction optimization campaigns are rapid and efficient. Our systems allow us to locate true optimums in experimental space with the simultaneous multivariate analysis of DoE.
• Product Isolation: Your process is only ever as good as its isolation. Our chemistry team develops many isolation procedures, expertly adapted to the unique problems of biocatalysis. Advanced equipment and DoE approaches allow for parallel isolation experiments and quick optimization. This maximizes your isolated yield while minimizing time and resource investment.
• Technology transfer: Generating process documentation and supporting process transfer are typical outcomes for our collaborations. Specifically, we tailor support to client needs and help in the selection and assessment of scale-up facilities.

Other ways we work with partners:

• Biocatalyst supply: Gram-scale enzyme supply is a classic way we collaborate with our partners. We can support you in developing your own biocatalysis reaction. For larger enzyme quantities, we work with our network of scale-up CDMO peers, managing the tech transfer process and manufacturing campaign for you.
• Compound supply: Do you want your finished compound in hand? We can carry out the full biocatalysis workflow for you, providing a compound supply accompanied by a Certificate of Analysis (CoA). This often enables client optimization studies in drug discovery.
• Exploring enzyme-substrate specificity: Curious what substrates your enzyme will turn over? Our chemistry team can synthesize small molecules in-house. This means we can evaluate if your manufacturing route is feasible before investing internal company resources.  

How can biocatalysis improve pharmaceutical manufacturing processes?

1. Enhanced regio-, chemo-, and stereo-selectivity: Enzymes are highly selective catalysts. Specifically, they have excellent functional group tolerance, reaction specificity, and high stereoselectivity, which minimizes wasteful protecting group chemistry, prevents side product formation, and improves overall yield.
2. Biocatalysis Efficiency: Enzymes accelerate reactions by orders of magnitude. Consequently, reaction times are greatly reduced, and throughput is improved, maximizing revenue capability. Enzymes can also combine multiple synthetic steps into one and be utilized in a cascade to effect multistep transformations in one pot.
3. Cost: Transition metal catalysis is expensive. Limited availability, precious metals, and chiral ligands drive up the costs of typical manufacturing processes. At Isomerase, we can help you develop your own, in-house process, breaking dependency on external supply chains. Therefore, after the development cycle is complete, biocatalytic transformations are often cheaper than their classical counterparts. 
4. Sustainability: Biocatalytic reactions are typically carried out using mild aqueous conditions, with water as the major solvent, thereby reducing the levels of hazardous, expensive, and fossil fuel-dependent solvents. In addition, biocatalysis reactions are typically run at lower temperatures, saving energy costs and maximizing profitability. As regulations shift, sustainable, safe, and organic solvent-free reactions are becoming more important. Undeniably, biocatalysis is leading this revolution.