DENMARK – Novozymes and Novo Nordisk Pharmatech have announced a collaboration agreement that brings together the companies’ shared competencies and interests in the development of specialty enzymes for use in biopharma processing and regenerative medicines.
Enzymes used in biopharmaceutical processing currently account for a small portion of the Danish kr15 billion (US$2.27 billion) market for specialty enzymes, with annual growth rates in the high single digits expected.
Older manufacturing technologies are increasingly being replaced by enzymatic alternatives, which is especially noticeable in regenerative medicines, which also require high quality, pharmaceutical grade enzymes.
Novozymes and Novo Nordisk Pharmatech, both of which are majority-owned by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, will work together to develop high-quality enzymatic processing aids for the regenerative medicines market, with a focus on stem cell and gene therapies.
An initial product is expected to be commercialized within a few years.
Specialty enzymes are primarily proteins that act as biocatalysts in diagnostic and pharmaceutical reactions, stimulating reactions and producing better results.
The function of specialty enzymes in pharmaceutical has been critical in drug delivery as well as drug formulation, which is contributing significantly to market revenue growth.
Pharmaceutical drug formulations based on enzymes are commonly used in the treatment of recurrent conditions such as AIDS and cancer.
In the pharmaceutical industry, specialty enzymes are widely used in the production of drugs to treat life-threatening diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, aging-related pain, hay fever, lysosomal storage disorders, and asthma.
As a result, rising demand for cost-effective therapeutics is increasing demand for specialty enzymes across the pharmaceutical industry globally, supporting the global specialty enzymes market’s overall revenue growth.
The specialty enzymes market is made up of sales of specialty enzymes, which are proteins that act as biocatalysts to speed up reactions.
The market generates revenue through the sale of specialty enzymes such as carbohydrases, proteases, lipases, and lipases, among others, in liquid or dry form, derived from microorganisms, plants, or animals.
Various multinational enzyme manufacturers operating in the global healthcare specialty enzymes market, such as BASF, Codexis, DuPont, Dyadic International, Inc., Amano Enzyme, Advanced Enzyme, Sanofi and Biocatalysts Ltd.
The healthcare specialty enzymes market is being driven by continued investment in biotechnology and genetics, as pharmaceutical companies rely on biotechnology to overcome the challenges of bringing new small molecule drugs to market.
Recent market developments
In March 2021, Novo Nordisk Pharmatech launched a superior Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) grade recombinant trypsin in anticipation of expansion of their portfolio by introducing more enzymes and purification resins in the future.
DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences announced its industry-leading OPTIMASE rage in April 2019, featuring bio-based enzymes that are utilized to clean medical devices.
In January 2021, SciTech Specialties Private Limited was acquired by Advanced Enzyme Technologies Limited for a 51% controlling share.
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