Codexis, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDXS) strengthened when the markets opened on Friday. The leading enzyme engineering company enabling the promise of synthetic biology, today announces the publication with Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, of a paper in the peer-reviewed journal Science, detailing the development of a suite of enzymes and their application for site-selective synthesis of insulin bioconjugates.
“Our ongoing agreement with Merck has produced multiple scientific breakthroughs in the enzyme engineering field. This work described in Science is another great example of how scientific collaboration can effectively address challenges facing the biotech industry,” said CEO John Nicols,
“The development of this toolbox of enzymes opens opportunities for generating new clinical leads not before possible.”
The publication describes the development and optimization of enzymes using Codexis’ proprietary CodeEvolver technology platform. Each enzyme has unique specificity and was evaluated for its ability to modify insulin. The described work highlights how enzymes can be engineered to functionalize peptides in a targeted fashion beyond that possible with conventional chemical approaches.
Codexis is a leading enzyme engineering company leveraging its proprietary CodeEvolver® platform to discover and develop novel, high performance enzymes and novel biotherapeutics.
Codexis enzymes have applications in the sustainable manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, food, and industrial products; in the creation of the next generation of life science tools; and as gene therapy and oral enzyme therapies
CDXS shares picked up 40 cents, or 4.7%, to $8.75.