Applications & Technology

Enzymes have been attractive as catalyst materials for many years in a wide variety of food, pharmaceutical, and biological processes because they are renewable, highly reaction-selective, low-cost and environmentally friendly. However, they usually exhibit short life when exposed to harsh chemical environments and high temperatures.

Akermin has developed a breakthrough in enzyme stabilization technology that solves several traditional problems by encasing enzymes in a proprietary, protective polymer structure. This immobilizes the enzyme so it can be attached to a support structure that does not inhibit enzyme contact with the substrate, yet protects the enzyme against denaturing when exposed to harsh chemicals and high temperatures. This enabling technology also has the potential for substantial improvements in future performance by applying the rapidly expanding technologies in polymer science and biochemical engineering.

There is intense industry interest in the use of renewable, low-cost, reaction-selective biological materials as catalysts, Akermin believes there are numerous business opportunities for our stabilized enzyme technology.