SUSTAINABILITY
requirements by means of protein engineering , instead of the process being tailored to the catalyst .
Figure 4 - Modification of the amino acid L-proline with KGOs to API precursors Note : Adapted from Hara et . al .
Lipases , the most commonly used biocatalysts , are available for ~$ 10 / kg thanks to production capacity at the high tonnes scale , while UPOs currently cost around $ 10,000 / kg . However , there are several strategies to significantly reduce the cost contribution of biocatalysts .
Immobilisation allows biocatalyst recycling and recovery thus typically reducing biocatalyst cost of goods sold ( COGS ) five- to ten-fold . If paired with ( semi ) -continuous manufacturing in flow , the COGS can be reduced ten- to 100-fold .
In addition , depending on the product margin , one should aim for certain substrate-to-biocatalyst ratios to ensure economic viability of the process . These range from 25:1 for high-margin compounds ( e . g . pharmaceuticals ) to 100:1 for medium-value compounds ( e . g . cosmetics ) and 500:1 or higher for bulky , low-cost chemicals . Where these ratios cannot be achieved , the biocatalyst can be improved by means of protein engineering .
Chemical patents usually protect molecules and synthesis routes . If only the synthesis route is protected by IP , or for generics , biocatalysis should be an integral part of synthesis route scouting , especially since the resulting routes are typically shorter with higher yields and thus more cost-efficient .
If a biocatalyst is subject to patent protection , it may be replaced with a different biocatalyst capable of performing the very same reaction . Service providers like Aminoverse support finding the replacement for a biocatalyst or modifying it for unrestricted use .
The times when the production of a target biocatalyst took months are definitely over . Nowadays , most biocatalysts with industrial relevance are available off-the-shelf . Where is no commercial source for a desired biocatalyst , it can be made available within a few weeks . Generally , the supply of biocatalysts can quickly scale from milligrams to kilograms or even tonnes and allows unhindered scale-up of the process .
The development time for a biocatalytic process is often seen as the biggest hurdle . As initial solution the supply of ready-to-use biocatalyst kits can minimise the research time to find a suitable biocatalyst within one or two weeks . Beyond that , the greatest advantage of biocatalysts compared to inorganic catalysts is the fact that they can be tailored towards the process
Conclusion
Biocatalysts are nature ’ s toolbox enabling sustainable synthesis with a high stereo- and regioselectivity and the opportunity to tune them for a distinct reaction . In a well-optimised biocatalytic process , one kg of biocatalyst enables the formation of one tonne of product at yields of > 95 % and ee of > 99 %.
Biocatalysis is a proven and industrially validated alternative to chemical synthesis over two decades and keeps growing , mainly driven by the motivation to access new chemical modalities and establish more sustainable and ‘ natural ’ synthesis routes . For both newcomers to the field of biocatalysis or experienced users , numerous partners like Aminoverse providing support , services and products to facilitate entry or help expanding the footprint of biocatalysis . ●
References : 1 : C . M . Heckmann et al ., ACS Catalysis , 2024 , 14 , 2985 – 2991 . 2 : R . Hara et al ., Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology , 2019 , 103 , 5689 – 5698 .
David Schönauer
CEO & FOUNDER
AMINOVERSE BV k + 31 452 084815 J schoenauer @ aminoverse . com j www . aminoverse . com
MAR / APR 2025 SPECCHEMONLINE . COM
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