Tokyo, JAPAN– [Date] – Gel Coat Biomaterials is proud to announce its feature on the cover of the December 2024 APAC edition of Life Sciences Review magazine, recognized as a top biotech company in the Asia-Pacific region for 2024. The issue highlights the company’s groundbreaking "Enzyme Protection Technology with Amoeba Hydrogel," poised to revolutionize enzyme stability and dramatically improve productivity in pharmaceuticals, drug discovery, and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) manufacturing. The technology also paves the way for novel therapies, including the development of new enzyme-based drugs and bioelectricity generation within the body.
Based on the amoeba hydrogel technology developed by Professor Madoka Takai and her laboratory at the Department of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, this technology significantly enhances enzyme stability by encapsulating enzymes within the hydrogel, mimicking a cell membrane and protecting them from external environmental factors. This allows for the repeated use of enzymes, which is expected to reduce production costs and enable reactions under milder conditions.
Gel Coat Biomaterials is led by seasoned R&D researchers and has prioritized intellectual property (IP) protection from its inception with a strong focus on commercialization. The company is actively expanding its team with industry and commercialization experts, aiming to establish more than five joint research collaborations with major pharmaceutical companies and expand its pipeline within the next three years.
Shin Yoshida, CEO of Gel Coat Biomaterials, commented, "Being featured on the cover of Life Sciences Review is a tremendous honor and a testament to the global recognition our technology is receiving. Gel Coat Biomaterials is committed to disseminating this groundbreaking technology worldwide and contributing to human health. We aim to accelerate its application not only in the pharmaceutical industry but also in diverse fields such as implantable biofuel cells for novel therapies, novel enzyme-delivery drugs, and enzyme-catalyzed chemical synthesis and decomposition (including recycling), ultimately contributing to a sustainable society."
Key Features and Potential Applications of the Technology:
Enhanced Enzyme Stability: Protection by the amoeba hydrogel suppresses enzyme denaturation.
Applications: All fields utilizing enzymes, including pharmaceuticals, API (active pharmaceutical ingredient) synthesis processes, biofuels, and food processing.
Increased Productivity: Enables the repeated use of enzymes, contributing to reduced production costs.
Applications: API manufacturing, chemical synthesis, biofuel production.
Sustainability: Enables reactions under milder conditions, contributing to CO₂ reduction.
Applications: Chemical decomposition, recycling, bioplastic production.
Accelerated Development of New Medicines: Promotes the development of new enzyme-based drugs and exploration of new uses for existing enzymes.
Applications: Enzyme replacement therapy, drug delivery.
Biofuel Cells: Encapsulating enzymes and electrodes generates electricity from sugars within the body.
Applications: Potential applications for neurological diseases, malignancies, and chronic diseases.
