Chromatide Wins GRAND Award to Research the Application of the Companies Novel Technology for Polymer Encapsulation for Immobilization of Enzymes used in Biotransformation Reactions

Chromatide, a company providing specialised products and services to a broad spectrum of the chemical, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, today announced that it has been awarded a Grant for Research and Development (GRAND) award by the NWDA (NorthWest Regional Development Agency).

This award is to enable the Company to evaluate the feasibility of enzyme immobilization via a novel encapsulation methodology previously patented by the company. The resultant immobilized enzymes will be assessed for use in bio-transformations with the aim of organic chemical reactions being conducted in a more efficient and cost effective manner than traditional techniques used for enzyme immobilisation. The potential benefits would enable simplification of the processes involved in the drug discovery and chemical production industries.

Dr Don Wellings, CSO, said, “We are delighted to have won this GRAND award. For an IP, technology driven company, public acknowledgement such as this provides external validation of the value of the technology we are developing. In view of the due diligence that is part of the application process and the rigorous nature of the GRAND award's conditions this is a fantastic endorsement and will enable us to expand our Intellectual Property portfolio”. He added, “By providing a unique environment for enzymes using our proprietary encapsulated polymer technology it is possible to create custom-made supports tailored to specific enzymes. This enables us to create very effective immobilized enzymes, amenable to flow-through or batch reactors, which can be used to simplify the use of biotransformation processes in a range of industries”.