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Modified Nucleosides
Our goal is to be the leader in discovering, developing and commercializing economically attractive and environmentally sustainable chemical compounds, useful in chemical, pharmaceutical and pulp & paper industries. To achieve this goal, we are building a portfolio of projects that we believe provide not only attractive commercial opportunities but also generate leading and competitive intellectual property positions in the field.
Extending Our Technology to Sustainable Production of High Value Chemicals and Intermediates
Our technical capabilities can be applied to produce a number of important commercial chemicals and chemical intermediates through biological conversion.
Modified Nucleosides
Modified nucleosides are classical antiviral drugs used in the treatment of the herpes virus and HIV. Novel biocatalysts will improve and optimize existing production processes. It seems difficult to underestimate the role of nucleosides and their analogues as the basis for development of a variety of pharmaceuticals and, especially, antiviral and anti-tumor agents. To date, more than 40 compounds of this class have been approved for clinical use.
Fluorinated nucleosides and analogues appear to be of special interest due to many unique properties. As a mimic of the hydroxyl group or as an isosteric substitution of hydrogen, introduction of fluorine(s) into nucleosides usually leads to the dramatic change in the biological behavior. Moreover, the introduction of fluorine at 2'-position of the sugar moiety provides enzymatic and acidic stability to the glycosidic bond.
It is well known that a number of very attractive fluorinated nucleosides and analogues appear impossible to prepare today, employing biotransformation with natural enzymes (e.g. E.coli enzymes). Obviously, extensive research dealing with protein engineering and search of new mutated enzymes capable of performing bioconversion of a wide range of nucleosides and analogues is timely. In this case, MetGen's "Sequence Blender" technology is a straightforward solution for this problem. The creation of new versatile enzymes for bioconversion of pyrimidine nucleosides and analogues into their purine counterparts will definitely allow preparation of already known fluorinated nucleoside and analogues at considerably lower costs. These enzymes will also ensure synthesis, development and production of new pharmaceutical fluorinated nucleoside and analogues. We have a head start on this area through several exclusive development agreements with drug research companies.
We are looking forward to capitalizing on this technology by supplying modified nucleosides for existing drugs and for those in the pipeline and forming unique partnerships with pharmaceutical companies.
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