Advancing Enzymes for Precision Therapeutics

The AdEPT project address the urgent global need for safer, more sustainable, and cost-effective manufacturing of RNA therapeutics, particularly highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic's demand for rapid vaccine production. By combining the expertise and resources of ArcticZymes Technologies ASA, UiT – The Arctic University of Norway, and SINTEF, the AdEPT project and collaboration aims to enhance ArcticZymes' enzyme innovation capabilities and develop improved enzyme solutions for efficient, high-quality RNA vaccine and therapeutic production. Key R&D challenges include designing novel essential enzymes for the mRNA manufacturing process, utilizing techniques like molecular modeling and AI- and structure-guided modifications. Also improvements in protein production and purification methods is required to ensure enzyme functionality and quality meets industry standards. The successful outcome of the collaboration project will help improve the production and analytics of RNA therapeutics for a healthier future.

The AdEPT project responds to the world’s urgent need for safer, more sustainable, and more cost-effective biomanufacturing of RNA therapeutics for human health. This need was demontrated by the COVID-19 pandemic which created an unprecedented demand for rapid and high-volume vaccine manufacturing. By converging competence and technologies between the consortium partners we will strengthen and renew ArcticZymes Technologies ASA’s enzyme innovation capabilities within the field of biomanufacturing of mRNA vaccines and therapeutics. The primary objective of AdEPT is to develop improved enzyme prototypes and solutions for sustainable, cost-effective, and high-quality biomanufacturing of RNA vaccines and RNA therapeutics. Central in AdEPT is the construction of an efficient consortium by merging the innovation, engineering, and enzyme production capabilities of ArcticZymes, UiT – The Arctic University of Norway and SINTEF. Critical R&D challenges include rational and semi-rational design of essential enzyme targets in the mRNA manufacturing process pipeline, and selection of novel enzymatic backbones from sequence databases. These challenges will be addressed by using e.g., cluster analysis, molecular modelling, structure-guided manipulations (rational design), new recombinant protein production methods, protein purification (sustainable and scalable), assay development and enzyme property screening.