BIOTRANSFORMATIONS FOR FINE CHEMICAL PRODUCTION

Biotechnology has become an indispensable tool for the production of f ine chemicals. The choice of route, chemical or biotechnological, for the manufacture of a given fine chemical is crucial. In general terms, biotechnology is the method of choice for large molecules with a high degree of functionalisation and multiple stereocentres. Most of LONZA 's biotechnological bioprocesses for the production of fine chemicals are whole cell processes using microorganisms which form very specific enzymes. Process improvement at LONZA is discussed in this paper on t hree levels: upstream processing, biotransformation/biosynthesis, and downsteam processing.