Annual report 2023/2024
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BRAIN Biotech at a Glance

We are industrial biotechnology specialists

We are inspired by the biodiversity of nature: by microorganisms and their specific abilities and the enzymes underlying these abilities.

As one of the leading specialists for enzyme development and production in Europe, we primarily support companies from the food & beverage, health & life science and environmental sectors.

We research, develop, and produce both to serve our customers and to expand our own portfolio:

  • specialty enzymes,
  • efficient production strains,
  • optimized bioprocesses for the large-scale production of enzymes and proteins.

From enzyme products for the production of food and beverages to efficient fermentation processes for enzymes and other special proteins through to optimized starter cultures: our solutions add value to our customers’ products and production processes and contribute to more efficient production and greater sustainability within the company.

The BRAIN Biotech Group’s operating business was divided into the BioProducts, BioScience and BioIncubator segments during the 2023/24 financial year.

The BioProducts segment comprises the product business with enzymes and other proteins. We operate fermentation facilities in the UK and production facilities in continental Europe and the USA for the manufacture of these products. Our product portfolio currently comprises around 600 products, mainly enzyme products for specific segments of the food industry.

In the BioScience segment, we offer research-intensive, customized solutions. We apply our expertise and many years of experience in enzyme technology, strain development, bioprocess development, and natural product chemistry and screening.

The BioIncubator segment includes promising R&D projects offering high value-added potential. We conduct these developments either in-house or together with partners.

Our product pipeline included the following development projects during the reporting period:
BEC / BMC (G-dase E®/G-dase M®)

These enzymes are proprietary CRISPR nucleases that we develop in-house. These serve as the foundation on which BRAIN Biotech AG is building a genome editing technology platform. The development of BEC is aimed at a new type of cancer therapy, among other objectives. Both nucleases can also be utilized for gene editing in industrial biotechnology.

Aurase

Aurase® (Tarumase) is an enzymatic active ingredient that BRAIN Biotech has developed for chronic wound cleansing. SolasCure Ltd., which was founded with BRAIN Biotech’s participation, is working on the clinical development of the active medical ingredient.

After the safety of the use of Tarumase as a clinically effective means of debridement (removal of infected and non-viable tissue) was demonstrated in an initial Phase 2a trial, work is currently underway on further product development and a financing round is being prepared for the next clinical development steps.

Deucrictibant

The active ingredient deucrictibant (previous substance name: PHA121), which was identified and characterized by our natural product specialists in Potsdam and licensed to Pharvaris N.V. (Nasdaq ticker symbol: PHVS), is being developed into a drug by Pharvaris in the context of clinical trials. On 20 September 2024, BRAIN Biotech divested a portion of future royalties from the active pharmaceutical ingredient to Royalty Pharma, a leading buyer of royalties for biopharmaceuticals and innovation financier in the biopharmaceutical industry.

Through our own research and development, we are continuously expanding our portfolio with novel specialty enzymes, efficient microbial strains, and advanced technologies. New natural products are expanding our substance libraries, including small molecules, which serve as starting points for screening, such as for drug candidates for pharmaceutical applications.

Subsidiaries and shareholdings

The BRAIN Biotech Group’s parent company is BRAIN Biotech AG, which is headquartered in Zwingenberg, in Germany’s Hesse region. BRAIN Biotech AG has been listed in the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since 9 February 2016 (ticker symbol: BNN; securities identification numbers: ISIN DE0005203947 / WKN 520394). The Group employed around 325 people in the 2023/24 financial year and generated revenue of EUR 54,6 million.

The BRAIN Biotech Group comprised the following operating units as of the end of the reporting year: AnalytiCon Discovery LLC, Biocatalysts Ltd., Biocatalysts Inc., Biosun Biochemicals Inc., WeissBioTech GmbH, and Breatec B.V. (62.0 %). The companies Biocatalysts Inc., Biosun Biochemicals Inc., WeissBioTech GmbH, and the equity interest in Breatec B.V. (62.0 %) have been organizationally and legally assigned to Biocatalysts Ltd. since 1 October 2023. AnalytiCon Discovery GmbH was merged with BRAIN Biotech AG in June 2024, with retroactive effect from 1 October 2023.

The BRAIN Biotech Group holds a minority interest of 34.16 % in SolasCure Ltd., which is equity accounted in the consolidated financial statements.