eXoZymes Achieves 100× Scale-up of NCT Production Using Exozymes, Demonstrating Near-perfect Feedstock Conversion

eXoZymes announced a significant breakthrough in its biomanufacturing capabilities with the successful 100-fold scale-up of its N-trans-caffeoyltyramine (NCT) production process. Utilizing their proprietary exozyme-based, cell-free platform, the company achieved an impressive conversion level of over 99% from feedstock to product, marking a pivotal moment for the scalability of their technology.

"Scaling a complex biocatalytic reaction by 100× while sustaining high feedstock conversion strengthens our belief that exozymes will form the foundation of the next generation of biomanufacturing," said Michael Heltzen, CEO of eXoZymes. "We're very enthusiastic about this progress and see it as an important inflection point in demonstrating that cell-free, enzyme-driven systems can be engineered to operate reliably at scale. This truly opens the door to producing molecules that have historically been constrained by traditional manufacturing approaches."

The scale-up process maintained exceptional conversion efficiency, showcasing near-complete transformation of input feedstock into the target product under large-volume conditions. This outcome confirms that the exozyme-driven process not only scales linearly but can match or even exceed the conversion rates observed in smaller scale operations. The batch production was conducted using standardized protocols under partner-operated conditions by Cayman Chemical, emphasizing the robustness, transferability, and scalability of the process and technology.

Dr. Tyler Korman, CSO of eXoZymes, remarked, "Scaling while preserving reaction performance has historically been challenging, and this outcome supports the growing body of evidence that cell-free enzyme production pathways - aka exozymes systems - can overcome fundamental limitations associated with traditional biomanufacturing approaches. Achieving over 99% conversion at scale is a significant validation of our exozyme biosolution - both from a scientific as well as a commercial point of view."

Cayman Chemical and eXoZymes are collaborating on the isolation process for NCT and are currently analyzing data from the experiment. Further technical details are anticipated to be released in a subsequent press release once downstream analysis and NCT extraction are completed. Due to the scale of the project and the approaching holidays, this additional information might not be available until early 2026.