Dow, Diversa to co-market chiral processes
About a decade ago pharmaceutical companies, with a little prodding from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, began looking seriously into producing single-enantiomer (or single-diastereomer) drugs. Now everyone is interested in chirally pure materials. Whether used for drugs or pesticides, pure enantiomers promise lower dosing and greater specificity. Single-isomer drugs often have fewer side effects since the body does not have to deal with the "wrong" isomer—which frequently shows significantly less activity than the preferred isomer but can still wreak havoc on biochemical systems. For pesticides, the analogy is lower environmental burden since the wrong isomer is similarly less active but still must be broken down.
The agreement calls for Diversa to use its proprietary high-throughput technologies to identify, develop, and optimize high-performance enzyme biocatalysts for use in chiral compound production. Diversa will receive technology access fees, research and development payments, milestone payments, and royalties from sales of end products.
Dow, through its Contract Manufacturing Services business, will provide the cGMP process capability required to synthesize pharmaceutical products through chiral technologies provided by Diversa.
For more information: Diversa Corp., 10665 Sorrento Valley Rd., San Diego, CA 92121-1609. Tel: 858-623-5100. Fax: 858-626-3700.
By Angelo DePalma
Managing Editor, Drug Discovery Online and Pharmaceutical Online
Email: adepalma@vertical.net