title: The production of fine chemicals by biotransformations.
abstract: Today, biocatalysis is a standard technology for the production of chemicals. An analysis of 134 industrial biotransformations reveals that hydrolases (44%) and redox biocatalysts (30%) are the most prominent categories. Most products are chiral (89%) and are used as fine chemicals. In the chemical industry, successful product developments involve on average a yield of 78%, a volumetric productivity of 15.5 g/(L.h) and a final product concentration of 108 g/L. By contrast, the pharmaceutical industry focuses on time-to-market. The implications of this for future research and development on biocatalysis are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Delft University of Technology, Kluyver Laboratory for Biotechnology, Julianalaan 67, NL-2628 BC, Delft, The Netherlands. straathof@tnw.tudelft.nl
authors.forename: Adrie J J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Straathof
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Panke
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schmid
mesh_terms: D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D001711:Biotransformation; D002384:Catalysis; D002617:Chemical Industry / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D004345:Drug Industry / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D004798:Enzymes / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D007218:Industrial Microbiology / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D011786:Quality Control
chemical_list: D004798:Enzymes; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations