BioClick – an enzyme engineering game-changer, launched by eXoZymes and supported by a $300K NIH grant
eXoZymes (NASDAQ: EXOZ) has launched BioClick, a groundbreaking enzyme engineering initiative supported by a $300K NIH grant. The project focuses on enhancing group transfer reactions in enzyme engineering, particularly prenylation, to improve drug development and biomanufacturing processes.
BioClick introduces what the company calls the 'third generation of enzyme engineering: Artificial Evolution', following directed evolution and rational protein design. The platform incorporates AI and high-throughput screening capabilities, enabling simultaneous testing of thousands of enzyme variations using mass spectrometry and advanced data analysis algorithms.
The technology aims to accelerate the development of new drugs and improve existing ones by enabling the creation of previously inaccessible small molecules. The project specifically targets the enhancement of drug compounds' functionality and effectiveness through precise molecular modifications.
eXoZymes (NASDAQ: EXOZ) ha lanciato BioClick, un'iniziativa innovativa di ingegneria enzimatica supportata da un finanziamento NIH di $300K. Il progetto si concentra sul miglioramento delle reazioni di trasferimento di gruppo nell'ingegneria enzimatica, in particolare nella prenilazione, per ottimizzare lo sviluppo di farmaci e i processi di biomanifattura.
BioClick introduce ciò che l'azienda definisce la 'terza generazione di ingegneria enzimatica: Evoluzione Artificiale', dopo l'evoluzione diretta e il design razionale delle proteine. La piattaforma integra capacità di intelligenza artificiale e screening ad alta capacità, consentendo il test simultaneo di migliaia di varianti enzimatiche utilizzando la spettrometria di massa e algoritmi avanzati di analisi dei dati.
La tecnologia mira ad accelerare lo sviluppo di nuovi farmaci e a migliorare quelli esistenti, permettendo la creazione di piccole molecole precedentemente inaccessibili. Il progetto si concentra specificamente sul miglioramento della funzionalità e dell'efficacia dei composti farmacologici attraverso modifiche molecolari precise.
eXoZymes (NASDAQ: EXOZ) ha lanzado BioClick, una iniciativa innovadora de ingeniería enzimática respaldada por una subvención de $300K del NIH. El proyecto se centra en mejorar las reacciones de transferencia de grupos en la ingeniería enzimática, especialmente la prenilación, para optimizar el desarrollo de medicamentos y los procesos de biomanufactura.
BioClick introduce lo que la empresa denomina la 'tercera generación de ingeniería enzimática: Evolución Artificial', después de la evolución dirigida y el diseño racional de proteínas. La plataforma incorpora capacidades de inteligencia artificial y cribado de alto rendimiento, permitiendo la prueba simultánea de miles de variaciones enzimáticas utilizando espectrometría de masas y algoritmos avanzados de análisis de datos.
La tecnología tiene como objetivo acelerar el desarrollo de nuevos medicamentos y mejorar los existentes, permitiendo la creación de pequeñas moléculas que antes eran inaccesibles. El proyecto se centra específicamente en mejorar la funcionalidad y efectividad de los compuestos farmacéuticos mediante modificaciones moleculares precisas.
eXoZymes (NASDAQ: EXOZ)는 $300K NIH 보조금으로 지원되는 혁신적인 효소 공학 이니셔티브인 BioClick을 출시했습니다. 이 프로젝트는 효소 공학에서의 그룹 전이 반응, 특히 프레닐화 개선에 초점을 맞추어 약물 개발 및 생물 제조 프로세스를 최적화하는 것을 목표로 하고 있습니다.
BioClick은 회사가 '효소 공학의 제3세대: 인공 진화'라고 부르는 것을 도입하며, 이는 지향 진화 및 합리적 단백질 설계에 이어지는 것입니다. 이 플랫폼은 인공지능 및 고속 스크리닝 기능을 통합하여 질량 분석 및 고급 데이터 분석 알고리즘을 사용하여 수천 개의 효소 변형을 동시에 테스트할 수 있도록 합니다.
이 기술은 새로운 약물 개발을 가속화하고 기존 약물을 개선하는 것을 목표로 하며, 이전에는 접근할 수 없었던 작은 분자의 생성을 가능하게 합니다. 이 프로젝트는 정밀한 분자 수정을 통해 약물 화합물의 기능성과 효과를 향상시키는 데 특히 중점을 두고 있습니다.
eXoZymes (NASDAQ: EXOZ) a lancé BioClick, une initiative révolutionnaire en ingénierie enzymatique soutenue par un subside de 300 000 $ du NIH. Le projet se concentre sur l'amélioration des réactions de transfert de groupe en ingénierie enzymatique, en particulier la prénylation, pour optimiser le développement de médicaments et les processus de biomanufacture.
BioClick introduit ce que l'entreprise appelle la 'troisième génération d'ingénierie enzymatique : Évolution Artificielle', après l'évolution dirigée et la conception rationnelle des protéines. La plateforme intègre des capacités d'IA et de criblage à haut débit, permettant le test simultané de milliers de variations enzymatiques à l'aide de la spectrométrie de masse et d'algorithmes avancés d'analyse de données.
La technologie vise à accélérer le développement de nouveaux médicaments et à améliorer ceux existants en permettant la création de petites molécules auparavant inaccessibles. Le projet cible spécifiquement l'amélioration de la fonctionnalité et de l'efficacité des composés médicamenteux par des modifications moléculaires précises.
eXoZymes (NASDAQ: EXOZ) hat BioClick ins Leben gerufen, eine bahnbrechende Initiative zur Enzymtechnik, die durch einen 300.000 $ NIH-Zuschuss unterstützt wird. Das Projekt konzentriert sich darauf, Gruppenübertragungsreaktionen in der Enzymtechnik, insbesondere die Prenylierung, zu verbessern, um die Arzneimittelentwicklung und biotechnologische Herstellungsprozesse zu optimieren.
BioClick führt das ein, was das Unternehmen als 'dritte Generation der Enzymtechnik: Künstliche Evolution' bezeichnet, nach der gezielten Evolution und dem rationalen Proteindesign. Die Plattform integriert KI- und Hochdurchsatz-Screening-Funktionen, die es ermöglichen, Tausende von Enzymvariationen gleichzeitig mithilfe von Massenspektrometrie und fortschrittlichen Datenanalyse-Algorithmen zu testen.
Die Technologie zielt darauf ab, die Entwicklung neuer Medikamente zu beschleunigen und bestehende zu verbessern, indem die Schaffung zuvor unzugänglicher kleiner Moleküle ermöglicht wird. Das Projekt konzentriert sich speziell auf die Verbesserung der Funktionalität und Wirksamkeit von Arzneistoffen durch präzise molekulare Modifikationen.
- Secured $300K NIH grant funding for BioClick initiative
- Developed high-throughput screening capability for testing thousands of enzyme variations simultaneously
- Technology enables creation of previously inaccessible drug molecules
- Platform can potentially improve existing drugs through enhanced molecular modifications
- Early-stage technology without proven commercial success
- Dependent on grant funding for research advancement
Insights
eXoZymes' BioClick initiative represents a technical advancement in enzyme engineering, focusing on enhancing group transfer reactions - particularly prenylation processes that add small fatty molecular groups to compounds to improve drug functionality. The approach combines artificial intelligence with high-throughput screening to test thousands of enzyme variations simultaneously, potentially accelerating identification of optimal enzyme variants.
The company positions this as "Artificial Evolution" - what they describe as a third generation of enzyme engineering following directed evolution (which earned a Nobel Prize in 2018) and rational protein design. The technology could theoretically expand eXoZymes' capabilities in developing both novel medicines and improved versions of existing ones.
The
The high-throughput screening capabilities mentioned could provide significant advantages in development speed, but translating these technical advantages into marketable products will require substantial additional development work beyond what's described in this announcement.
The
Biotechnology innovation typically follows a lengthy path from concept to commercialization. The company's emphasis on Nobel Prize-winning technologies provides scientific credibility but doesn't address execution challenges ahead. The potential to improve existing drugs or create novel molecules presents long-term opportunities, but without specified timelines or commercial targets, immediate financial impact remains unclear.
For a small-cap company like eXoZymes, technological differentiation is critical for competitive positioning, and this announcement suggests continued R&D progress. However, investors should recognize that even promising enzyme engineering platforms frequently require years of development before generating significant revenue. The announcement represents technological progress but provides insufficient information to project meaningful near-term financial impact.
Without details on potential applications, market size for specific target molecules, or development timelines, this announcement should be viewed primarily as evidence of ongoing platform development rather than a catalyst for immediate value creation.
Monrovia, CA, April 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, eXoZymes Inc. (NASDAQ: EXOZ) (“eXoZymes”) - a pioneer of AI-engineered enzymes that can transform sustainable feedstock into nutraceuticals, medicines, and other essential chemicals - announced its latest initiative - BioClick - a pioneering concept designed to enhance and accelerate the engineering of enzymes for advanced chemical reactions. Funded in part by a
At the heart of BioClick is a focus on group transfer reactions, a class of biochemical reactions that allow enzymes to precisely move small molecular chemical groups from one compound to another. Inspired by the 2022 Nobel Prize in Chemistry concept of Click Chemistry, often described as snapping LEGO pieces together, BioClick is now enabling new types of group transfers using custom enzymes. Among these, prenylation is a standout: a process where a small fatty molecular group is taken from a donor molecule and added to another drug compound to improve its function or how well it works in the body. This technique is especially promising in the development of more effective, targeted drugs and therapies, either as new drugs or as better versions of existing drugs.
“Our new BioClick approach not only boosts efficiency but opens the door to the biomanufacturing of rare and previously unthinkable target molecules that can be game-changers in medicine, nutrition, and other functional nutraceuticals. By building a complete tool set—from enzyme engineering to pilot scale synthesis, we’re setting a new standard for what can be done with bio-based click chemistry.” Said Dr. John Billingsley, PI on the recently awarded BioClick grant from NIH’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. He adds, “If you consider directed evolution, which landed Dr. Francis H. Arnold the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 2018 as the first generation, and rational protein design as the second generation, we’re now introducing the third generation of enzyme engineering: Artificial Evolution.”
Critically, the BioClick tools also introduce new high-throughput screening capabilities, allowing researchers to test thousands of enzyme variations simultaneously. With the help of advanced tools like mass spectrometry and cutting-edge data analysis algorithms, eXoZymes can quickly identify which enzyme version works best for a given group transfer reaction - greatly enhancing the molecular level operation by quickly identifying the best-performing variants. This Artificial Evolution process dramatically reduces the time and cost required to develop the exozyme pathway that will produce a new or better drug.
“With our new BioClick tool set that incorporates artificial intelligence into our exozymes platform, coupled with our advanced enzyme engineering skills and high-throughput screening - which exponentially increases the rate of data acquisition - we now support the automated design of novel small molecules, that will lead to better medicines,” states Dr. Tyler Korman, co-founder and VP of Research at eXoZymes. He continues, “In other words, we’re not just fine-tuning our pathways of enzymes and exozymes for drug development - we’re unlocking a large new white space of small molecules previously inaccessible. We believe this has the potential to introduce not just new drugs but a valuable opportunity of taking existing drugs and making better versions of them.”
Acknowledgement
Research reported in this press release was supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under award number R43GM157956. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
About eXoZymes
Founded in 2019, the company has developed a biomanufacturing platform that - as a historic first - offers the tools and insights to engineer, control and optimize nature’s own natural processes to produce chemical compounds, enabling the company’s partners to replace traditional chemical production methods with a new commercially scalable, sustainable, and eco-friendly alternative: exozymes.
Exozymes are advanced enzymes enhanced through AI and bioengineering to thrive in a bioreactor outside of living cells. Exozymes can replace toxic petrochemical processes and inefficient biochemical extraction with sustainable and scalable biosolutions that transform biomass into essential chemicals, medicines, and biofuels.
By freeing enzyme-driven chemical reactions from the limitations imposed by cells, exozyme biosolutions eliminate the scaling bottleneck that has hampered commercial success in the synthetic biology (SynBio) space, making exozymes the next generation of biomanufacturing.
While the company, eXoZymes Inc., has introduced “exozymes” as a scientific concept, they are not trademarking the concept, as they view it as a new nomenclature for wide adoption for this next generation of biomanufacturing that eXoZymes aims to pioneer and be the market leader of.
Learn more on exozymes.com.
eXoZymes Safe Harbor
This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe the company’s future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as “believe,” “expect,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “would,” “could,” “seek,” “intend,” “plan,” “goal,” “project,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “strategy,” “future,” “likely” or other comparable terms, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release regarding the company’s strategies, prospects, financial condition, operations, costs, plans and objectives are forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially for a variety of reasons. You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described in the “Risk Factors” section of eXoZymes’ quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, annual reports on Form 10-K, and other documents filed by eXoZymes from time to time by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings identify and address important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and eXoZymes assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. eXoZymes does not give any assurance that it will achieve its expectations.
eXoZymes contact
Lasse Görlitz, VP of Communications
(858) 319-7135
press@exozymes.com
FAQ
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