LibraGen's new active molecules hit the market

The company has applied its proprietary technology platform to design an enzymatic production process that allows the use of naturally derived active molecules previously considered difficult to exploit. "The new active products are exclusive new compounds produced by LibraGen with the advantages of a lower sensitivity to oxidation and a very high water solubility,"​ Daniel Auriol, LibraGen technical manager, told In-PharmaTechnologist.com. This, he said, could reveal "completely unsuspected properties"​ for use in pharmaceutical applications. LibraGen uses a process which converts the raw materials into water-soluble active molecules which are more chemically stable and have improved bioavailability, thus making their use in therapeutic applications a more viable option. "LibraGen's proprietary technology involved in the production of new active products relies on the grafting of a carbohydrate residue, glucose or a very short oligoglucoside, onto a polyphenolic structure by a purified enzyme secreted by a lactic acid bacteria,"​ Auriol explained. "The particular advantage of the process is that the carbohydrate source is very cheap and there is no need for cofactor." ​ The Toulouse-based company has drawn inspiration for its range proprietary technologies from 'untapped biodiversity', developing technologies to identify, validate and produce high added-value enzymes and molecules for a variety of applications including pharmaceutical and fine chemical synthesis. LibraGen focuses on micro-organisms as a source of potential genes and metabolic pathways that can be delivered to industrial and pharmaceutical markets. "This new range gives a glimpse of the potential we have with our technology and production capabilities as they are all applicable to other active ingredients,"​ said LibraGen CEO Renaud Nalin. The company, which usually uses its resources to explore and identify new enzymatic activities and produce chemical compounds at the behest of its customers, now sees itself as establishing a place in the industry in its own right for the design and biocatalytic production of active molecules. The company currently has a number of research and production partnerships within the pharmaceutical industry, including agreements with major pharma Sanofi-Aventis and French firm Laboratoires Pierre Fabre, as well as within the dermocosmetic field.