4 Report on opportunities
BioScience segment
The BioScience segment comprises knowledge- and research-intensive contract research for customers. We are continuing to expand our range of products and services as a service provider in industrial biotechnology. Here we provide our partners with research services, solutions expertise, and access to our resource libraries. BRAIN Biotech AG has an established industrial network in this area, which it is continuously expanding. This industrial network is complemented by an established research and university network.
The BioScience segment focuses on the areas of nutrition, health, and the environment.
BioIncubator segment
Our incubator for highly innovative solutions and products is supplied by the New Business Development area. Here, BRAIN deploys its innovations in order to tap new markets in the areas of nutrition, health, and the environment. This is performed both on our own account and/or with industrial partners.
The opportunities arising from research and development in the BioIncubator segment can be assessed as follows:
| Opportunity | Year-on-year change | rNPV market potential |
|---|---|---|
| Fermented beverages & ingredients | → | medium |
| Perillic Active, anti-microbial | ↓ | small |
| Gold from waste streams | → | medium |
| Aurase wound debridement | → | high |
| Deucrictibant (PHA121), HAE Pharma Compound | ↑ | very high |
| Akribion Genomics (G-dase E / G-dase M) | → | very high |
Some examples include:
Fermented food
Fermented foods are more than just another “superfood” trend. They rightly form the focus of health-conscious consumers, as they score highly in many areas: no preservatives, enhancement/digestibility of plant-based staple foods, the discovery of ever new health-promoting ingredients, and a virtually unlimited wealth of new flavor experiences. Thanks to its biological and technological resources, BRAIN can meet market demand for new starter cultures. The BRAIN Biotech Group has the opportunity to act as both an innovator and a manufacturing company, and not only participate in an attractive market (volume forecast for 2032: USD 989 billion), but also develop completely new product categories.
Perillic Active, anti-microbial
As a consequence of the tougher competitive environment for natural antimicrobial agents and the entry into the market of alternative products, the market potential was downgraded from “medium” to “small”.
Gold from waste streams, urban mining
Our microbial gold recovery replaces conventional recycling processes, whereby chemicals are replaced by biological metal extractions. This reduces the use of aggressive and sometimes toxic chemicals. Furthermore, the biological process requires less energy and thereby significantly reduces the carbon footprint of the metal extraction process. In addition to gold, other precious metals, and metals such as lithium and cobalt, can also be recovered in this way from e-waste, incinerator slag, EV batteries, and other waste of mineral origin (“urban mining”).
Aurase wound debridement
As part of an internally funded research project, BRAIN has discovered an enzyme that fly maggots use to liquefy the wound coating of chronic wounds (“maggot therapy”). The company has developed a biotechnological production process for this enzyme. The cleaning of chronic wounds is the first step in wound therapy, and is often responsible for extended treatment periods. The project was spun out to SolasCure Ltd. and Phase 2a of the clinical trial was completed. Forms of financing for further clinical development are currently being investigated. Product development and smaller study projects will continue in the meantime.
Deucrictibant (PHA121), HAE Pharma Compound
AnalytiCon Discovery, a division of BRAIN Biotech AG, has discovered and developed a pharmacologically active substance that promises an improved therapeutic approach for patients suffering from the rare disease hereditary angioedema (HAE), both in acute treatment and for prophylaxis. Pharvaris N.V., listed on Nasdaq, USA, holds a license from AnalytiCon Discovery for the clinical development and testing of the novel drug. BRAIN is entitled to substantial milestone and license payments in the event of a successful market launch. BRAIN Biotech has sold most of the expected license income in advance to Royalty Pharma in return for milestone payments of up to € 128.88 million. This does not affect regulatory milestones of up to € 9.0 million that BRAIN may receive directly from Pharvaris. BRAIN has received an upfront payment of € 18.41 million. Additional potential regulatory milestone payments of up to € 18.42 million, and additional potential long-term revenue-based milestone payments of up to € 92.05 million are part of the contract with Royalty Pharma.
The start of the clinical Phase III trial for the active ingredient Deucrictibant by Pharvaris has significantly reduced the project risk and thereby increased the probability of market entry. This has increased the risk-adjusted market potential to “very high”.
Akribion Genomics (G-dase E / G-dase M) and genome editing in industrial biotechnology
Genome editing is a molecular biology technology for the targeted and precise modification of DNA. For this purpose, nucleases (enzymes) are utilized as so-called “gene scissors”. This technology forms the basis for many innovations, such as in the areas of industrial production, plant-based nutrition, circular economy, and medicine.
BRAIN Biotech has successfully completed further development phases for both classic and novel genome editing systems with the proprietary enzymes G-dase® M and G-dase® E. In the industrial biotechnology area, BRAIN Biotech deploys such systems to specifically modify or improve microorganisms. BRAIN Biotech can thereby enable microorganisms to form valuable products. These include microbial production systems that can produce proteins and enzymes for industrial use. G-dase® M and G-dase® E have already been successfully utilized in numerous microorganisms in the context of both in-house development projects and customer projects. Various patent applications have been filed to protect the nuclease sequences. The first G-dase® E patent has already been successfully issued in Europe and is being further internationalized.
The G-dase® E nuclease offers promising application potential in human medicine thanks to its novel mode of action, which differs greatly from other genome editing tools. The utilization of the technology for therapeutic applications will be further developed in the future through licensing outside BRAIN Biotech by Akribion Therapeutics GmbH (see the section ‘Events after the reporting Date’).