New beta-lactamase enzyme from Eucodis

Austria-based Eucodis Bioscience, a developer and manufacturer of customised enzymes announced that it has launched a high-performance beta-lactamase designed to inactivate a broad range of beta-lactam antibiotics.

Beta-lactamases are enzymes that inactivate beta-lactam antibiotics, hydrolysing the beta-lactam ring, a molecular structure common to these drugs.

This property makes beta-lactamases an important tool in the manufacture of beta-lactam antibiotics, where they are used for sterility testing of bulk products.

Within the US$25 billion antibiotics market, beta-lactam antibiotics are the most widely prescribed group of drugs. Beta-lactamase enzymes are also used by the diagnostics industry, and in other areas.

"Our LacBuster beta-lactamase addresses the needs of leading antibiotics manufacturers, as it inactivates all relevant beta-lactam antibiotics, including penicillins, cephalosporins up to the fifth generation, and carbapenems, and shows an activity significantly higher than that of other products currently in the market," said Bhupinder Hundle, Senior VP Marketing & Sales, Eucodis Bioscience.

"Demand from the broader chemical industry is gaining momentum. With our enzyme products as well as our custom-engineering and manufacturing services we have been making strong inroads in areas such as specialty chemicals, cosmetics, animal feeds, as well as high-value products from biomass," said CEO Thomas Fischer.

Eucodis Bioscience is marketing the product under the LacBuster brand.

Led by an experienced management team, Eucodis Bioscience is backed by Austrian and German institutional venture capital funds, founders, and private investors. The company is headquartered in Austria, Europe, with a subsidiary in Germany.