Almac to partner with ZYMtronix to deploy its universal enzyme immobilisation platform

May 23, 2016

ZYMtronix and Almac are collaborating on a National Science Foundation (NSF) sponsored project focusing on the stabilisation and immobilisation of metabolic enzymes for biooxidation applications.  These enzymes have the potential to be powerful tools for accessing difficult to synthesise drug metabolites and oxidation products. However, they can be relatively unstable under chemical processing conditions and difficult to use in production.

“Almac is the ideal partner for ZYMtronix to deploy its universal enzyme immobilisation platform to enhance Almac’s monooxygenase enzyme collection. The project will allow both companies to provide the industry with efficient immobilised catalysts for mild and selective oxidation of chemical intermediates and APIs with reduced production costs,” said Dr. Stéphane Corgié, CEO of ZYMtronix.

Professor Tom Moody, Head of Biocatalysis at Almac commented:

‘We look forward to adding ZYMtronix technology to our expanding biocatalysis capabilities. Although monooxygenases have great potential for efficient synthesis of otherwise difficult to access products, implementation has been limited by slow reaction rates and need for high enzyme loadings. ZYMtronix technology has the potential to overcome these limitations.’

About Almac Group

‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

Almac Group has supported the global biopharmaceutical industry with their drug development activities and bringing new drugs to market to advance human health for more than 40 years. Privately owned and headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland, the company employs in excess of 4,000 personnel in the United Kingdom, United States and Asia. Almac’s commitment to quality is guaranteed through a comprehensive range of standard operating procedures and fully documented quality systems developed in accordance with global pharmaceutical guidelines. Almac’s research targets five main branches: diagnostics, sciences, clinical services, clinical technologies and pharmaceutical services. The Almac Biocatalysis group, led by Prof. Tom Moody, consists of computational, molecular- and microbiologists, enzymologists, organic chemists and analysts; the group has demonstrated expertise in gene identification, expression, enzyme evolution, fermentation, enzyme production and biotransformation scale-up. Expertise ranges from enzyme production to the synthesis of complex chiral APIs from milligram to ton scale.

About ZYMtronix

‘Biocatalysis in Motion’

ZYMtronix Catalytic Systems, Inc. (DBA ZYMtronix, Inc.) is a life science company formed in 2013 as a spin-off from Cornell University research. The company provides the industry – pharmaceutical and enzyme manufacturers – cost-effective solutions to maximize the use of enzymes in drug discovery and drug manufacturing. In traditional chemistry, making pharmaceutical drugs requires a long series of labor-intensive, expensive reactions, but employing immobilized enzymes cuts the number of necessary reactions and can reduce energy and the use of hazardous chemicals. The founders, Stéphane Corgié, PhD (CEO-CTO) and Juan Diego Alonso JD-MBA (CFO) are joined by Dr. Joseph Marasco who leads the company’s business development efforts as Chief Business Officer of Pharmaceutical Operations.

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