CPhI Pharmaceutical Innovation Award 2004 for JFC's (S)-Oxynitrilase

14-Jan-2005

At CPhI 2004 in Brussels (S)-Oxynitrilase from Manihot esculenta, a product of JFC-Jülich fine chemicals GmbH (JFC), was awarded with the first-ever CPhI Pharmaceutical Innovation silver Award. This new award was initiated to acknowledge the most innovative and highest-valued research results, technologies, and products.

As typical representative of White Biotechnology JFC is focussed on the screening, development, production and application of novel enzymes for biocatalytic processes. A variety of specialty enzymes such as alcohol dehydrogenases and esterases were developed. Among these, (S)-oxynitrilase from Manihot esculenta is one of the most successful products. It is applied for the large scale production of chiral cyanohydrins, which are important intermediates for pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. Many of these building blocks are not commercially available via traditional chemical asymmetric synthesis.

In general, oxynitrilases are catalyzing the asymmetric addition of HCN to carbonyl groups. They had already been applied for the first described biocatalytic reactions in an organic lab one hundred years ago. Still, (S)-selective enzymes were not commercially available for a long time due to the lack of recombinant sources. Only recently, JFC succeeded in developing of a production process for (S)-Oxynitrilase from Manihot esculenta using a very efficient recombinant E. coli system. Additionally, a high-cell density fermentation protocol was established including different critical process parameters and an improved enzyme purification procedure. After successful up-scaling of this fermentation process (S)-oxynitrilase is now available on a Giga Unit scale. Presently, JFC is supplying the enzyme for the production of chiral intermediates on a ton scale. High stability, a wide substrate range as well as high selectivity are beneficial characteristics of this biocatalyst. In the future, JFC will cooperate with strategic partners to enhance the application of oxynitrilases for the production of new chiral intermediates. The development of enzymes with modified catalytic properties will be an additional objective for these collaborations.

https://www.bionity.com/en/news/42541/cphi-pharmaceutical-innovation-award-2004-for-jfc-s-s-oxynitrilase.html