Biocatalysis

Biocatalysis is increasingly replacing traditional chemistry and enabling more efficient pathways to target compounds. Biotechnology, biocatalysis development services, and enzyme engineering provide unprecedented access to new synthetic routes. With cost efficiency, sustainability, and regulation becoming key market drivers, the applications of modern biocatalysis are rapidly expanding.

Our services

Isomerase has expertise not only in enzyme discovery and engineering, but can also support custom, high-titre, and scalable manufacturing processes. We serve a multitude of sectors, acting as an innovation partner from concept to commercialisation.  

Biocatalysis capabilities

• Biocatalysis identification: From phenotypic or literature evidence of target activity in a microbial strain, we source strains and generate protocols for the growth and preparation of genomic DNA. Following strain selection, we sequence and analyse genomes, generate enzyme shortlists, and screen libraries to confirm activity. 
• Enzyme expression: Within our IsoChassis® platform, we offer a range of industrial microbial hosts suited for scaling the production of your enzyme of interest into a viable commercial process regardless of application. Our core hosts are Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Pichia pastoris, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
• 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.
• Enzyme USP/DSP 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 optimisation: We have an expertly trained team of scientists experienced in reaction optimisation. With validated analytical tools and advanced DoE (Design of Experiments) approaches, reaction optimisation campaigns are rapid and efficient. Our approaches 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. Isomerase has a chemistry team that develops many isolation procedures, expertly adapted to the unique problems of biocatalysis extractions. Advanced equipment and DoE approaches allow for parallel isolation experiments and quick optimisation. This maximises your isolated yield with minimum 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:

• Enzyme supply: Want to run your biocatalysis reaction in-house? We can stop our development processes after catalyst generation. Gram-scale enzyme supply is one of the ways we collaborate with our partners. 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: Simply want your finished compound in hand? Isomerase can carry out the full biocatalysis workflow for you, providing a compound supply accompanied by a CoA (Certificate of Analysis). This often enables clients' optimisation studies in drug discovery.
• Exploring enzyme-substrate specificity: Curious what substrates your enzyme will turn over? Our chemistry team can synthesise small molecules in-house. We can help you evaluate the feasibility of manufacturing routes without investing internal company resources.

How can biocatalysis improve pharmaceutical manufacturing processes?

1. Enhanced regio-, chemo-, and stereo-selectivity: Enzymes are highly selective catalysts. Specifically, excellent functional group tolerance, reaction specificity, and high stereoselectivity minimises wasteful protecting group chemistry, prevents side product formation, and improves overall yield.
2. Efficiency: Enzymes accelerate reactions by orders of magnitude. Consequently, reaction times are greatly reduced, and throughput is improved, maximising revenue capability. Enzymes can also combine multiple synthetic steps into one and be utilised in a cascade to effect multistep transformations in one pot.
3. 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 maximising profitability. As regulations are shifting, sustainable, safe, and organic solvent-free reactions are becoming more important. Undeniably, biocatalysis is leading this revolution.
4. 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.