Cell-free production of hyaluronic acid

Enzymit and Cosun have achieved a major breakthrough by successfully completing the first 200-litre pilot production of hyaluronic acid (HA) using an entirely enzymatic, cell-free process. This world-first enables the production of ultra-pure HA in kilogram quantities with greater efficiency and reproducibility than fermentation. The process relies on AI-designed enzymes and offers precise control of molecular weight (10kDa to 4MDa) without the need to change enzymes or strains; this is achieved by simply adjusting production parameters. 

According to Cosun, the successful pilot operation demonstrates the feasibility of industrial transposition to existing infrastructure, marking a significant step towards cleaner, faster and more circular bioproduction. Enzymit views this as evidence that the manufacture of biomolecules is no longer constrained by cells, but rather driven by enzyme engineering.