technology
Biocatalysis
Engineered-enzyme synthesis and functionalization of pharmaceutical and specialty molecules under mild conditions (CodeEvolver).
Where it's used
Bio-adhesives (industrial scale)
Industrial binders from soy protein, kraft lignin and mussel-inspired catechol polymers that replace formaldehyde resins in wood panels, packaging and underwater repair.
Biosynthetic specialty & fine chemicals (precision fermentation, biocatalysis, biorefinery)
High-value molecules — flavors, fragrances, food ingredients and bio-based monomers — produced by precision fermentation, biocatalysis and lignocellulose biorefinery from renewable carbon instead of petrochemicals or extraction.
Biosynthetic steroids (fermentation & biocatalytic API)
Corticosteroid and reproductive-hormone APIs made by mycobacterial fermentation of phytosterol into AD/ADD/9-OHAD precursors, then biocatalytic and semi-synthetic finishing — a globally-offshored manufacturing tier anchored by Olon, Farmabios and Gadea in Europe, Tianjin Tianyao in China, Symbiotec in India and Asymchem's biocatalysis CDMO.
Chemoenzymatic API synthesis (biocatalytic small-molecule manufacturing)
Engineered-enzyme steps (transaminases, ketoreductases, lipases) substituted into small-molecule API routes to replace metal-catalysed or multi-step chemical sequences — anchored by Codexis's CodeEvolver platform (the Merck sitagliptin transaminase case) in the US, Almac's biocatalysis CDMO in the UK, Lonza's HPAPI/biocatalysis toolkit in Switzerland, and Asymchem and WuXi AppTec's biocatalysis-enabled CDMO platforms in China.
Upcycled food ingredients
Functional proteins, fibres and lipids recovered from food-industry side streams — okara, spent grain, brewer's yeast, coffee grounds — and returned to the human food chain as high-value B2B ingredients.