Biocatalysis: An Indispensable Tool for API Synthesis

Biocatalysis is widely recognized to be one of the most powerful tools for organic synthesis due to its green credentials and its exquisite regio-, enantio-, and stereoselectivities. In recent years, it has benefited significantly from the development of a broad range of enabling technologies, leading biocatalysis to become an established methodology for efficient, sustainable manufacturing, especially within the drug development industry.

A multitude of enzymes is now utilized for generating active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and intermediates for their production, with such reagents offering numerous advantages compared to using traditional metal catalysts. One of the main benefits of biocatalysis is that it increases conversion efficiency for significantly higher yields with fewer by-products, equating to faster and more cost-effective production.

By integrating biocatalysis into ongoing and newly launched projects, Wavelength Pharmaceuticals has shown that it is possible to reduce overall costs by as much as 30%. For these reasons, many pharmaceutical companies are choosing to evaluate biocatalytic processes during early-stage drug developm