Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS

UNLOCKing next generation computer-guided Enzyme Discovery and Design.

Project description

A new take on computer-aided drug design

Molecular modelling is concerned with molecules, their calculations and predictions with respect to the research field. It is currently associated with computer modelling, where computational biology techniques are involved. Spain’s ZYMVOL is a start-up specialised in computer-driven biocatalyst discovery and development for the pharmaceutical and fine chemical industry. Through the EU-funded UNLOCK-EDD project, it aims to become the reference in the computer-driven enzyme engineering market and will convert molecular modelling into a commodity. Specifically, ZYMVOL’s in-silico engineering platform can find thousands of enzyme variants, delivering reliable predictions that allow the replacement of up to 90 % of experimental tests, making the enzyme development cost 10-fold lower with a 50 % reduction in development time.

Objective

ZYMVOL is start-up specialized in computer-driven biocatalyst discovery and development for the pharmaceutical and fine chemical industry. We harness the power of high-performance computing to identify and optimize custom-made biocatalysts that deliver additional value.
Biocatalysts are enzymes that accelerate industrial chemical reactions and have multiple applications for the synthesis of chemical compounds. Engineered enzymes can provide improved performance, representing a unique advantage. The protein engineering market is a fast-growing business estimated to reach 2.67B€ by 2024 (CARG +15%).
The main obstacle today to performance enhanced biocatalysts is that current enzyme engineering processes rely on slow and costly experimental tests with uncertain outcomes. Our in-silico engineering platform can rapidly find thousands of enzyme variants delivering reliable predictions, that allow to replace up to 90% of experimental tests, making the enzyme development cost (10-fold lower) and time (cut by 50%) effective.
ZYMVOL aims to be the reference in the computer-driven enzyme engineering market and convert molecular modelling in a commodity. In addition to our virtual enzyme sales (we plan to capture €11.17M by 2022 after entering into the North American market), we will promote a royalty-based revenue model from licensing enzymes developed in-house (global enzyme market is projected to reach €9B by 2024).
ZYMVOL’s founding team is composed by Maria Fátima Lucas, CEO, Emanuele Monza, CSO and Victor Gil, CTO. All members of the team hold a PhD in chemistry, physics and biomedical engineering.
The Company is seeing excellent traction which has allowed it to grown organically in its first 20 months. Thanks to a services-based business model it has already reached breakeven in 2018. The Company has quickly landed some high-profile business and developed a respected reputation by pioneering the access to high resolution computational simulations for all industries.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.

You need to log in or register to use this function

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

SME-2 - SME instrument phase 2

See all projects funded under this funding scheme

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020

See all projects funded under this call

Coordinator

ZYMVOL BIOMODELING SL
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 1 301 496,88
Address
CALLE ROC BORONAT 117 PLANTA 2 MODULO 6
08018 BARCELONA
Spain

See on map

SME

The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.

Yes
Region
Este Cataluña Barcelona
Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 1 859 281,25
My booklet 0 0