Question 1

What is precision fermentation?

Accepted Answer

Precision fermentation is a biomanufacturing process that programmes a living micro-organism — typically a bacterium or yeast — to produce a single, precisely-defined molecule.A synthetic gene encoding the target molecule is introduced into the host organism, which then expresses that molecule during controlled fermentation. The molecule is subsequently harvested, purified to a verified specification, and formulated for its end application.Unlike traditional fermentation — which produces a mixture of compounds as a by-product of microbial metabolism, as in brewing or bread-making — precision fermentation is targeted. The host organism is engineered to manufacture one specific protein, enzyme, or peptide with high fidelity, batch after batch. It is how the world now makes proteins that were previously impossible or uneconomic to source at scale.

Question 2

What is the difference between precision fermentation and traditional fermentation?

Accepted Answer

Traditional fermentation relies on naturally occurring microbial activity and produces a mixture of compounds — as used for centuries in brewing, bread-making, cheese production, and vinegar manufacturing. The process is not targeted toward a specific molecule; it exploits the natural metabolic output of a microbe.Precision fermentation introduces a synthetic, codon-optimised gene into a microbial host, directing that organism to manufacture a specific target protein or peptide as its primary product. The host's natural metabolism is effectively reprogrammed to serve as a biological production system for a single defined molecule.The result is a single, well-characterised molecule rather than a complex mixture — essential for applications like research reagents, pharmaceutical ingredients, food enzymes, and cosmetic actives where purity, molecular identity, and batch consistency must be guaranteed and documented. Precision fermentation is what allows Immobazyme to produce molecules like recombinant EGF, Solulase™, or a novel bespoke peptide to a certified specification — which traditional fermentation cannot.

Question 3

What can precision fermentation produce?

Accepted Answer

Precision fermentation can produce any protein, enzyme, or peptide for which a gene sequence can be designed or identified — including molecules that do not yet exist commercially.Immobazyme's platform currently produces across six categories:Recombinant growth factors — EGF, FGF-2, IGF-1, TGF-β1, KGF1 (FGF7), NRG1, and PDGF for in vitro research, serum-free cell culture, and cellular agriculture.Food enzymes and processing aids — Solulase™, FiberaseX™ and Dextranase for food and beverage manufacturing.Cosmetic peptides and actives — sh-Oligopeptide-1, sh-Oligopeptide-2, sh-Polypeptide-1, sh-Polypeptide-22 as raw-material actives for personal care formulation.Bespoke and novel molecules — proteins, enzymes, and peptides developed entirely from a client brief, including sequences not currently available from any commercial supplier.

Question 4

What is a modular biotechnology platform?

Accepted Answer

A modular biotechnology platform combines a set of established technical capabilities — gene design, expression, purification, formulation, and analytical release — that can be assembled into a development route tailored to each specific molecule and application.Rather than reinventing the production process for every new protein, enzyme, or peptide, a modular platform draws on validated methods and equipment configurations that have already been optimised across many production runs. The appropriate modules are selected and configured for each new project.For Immobazyme, modularity means the same core platform that produces a food-grade enzyme (Solulase™) also produces a research-grade recombinant growth factor (FGF-2) and a cosmetic bio-identical peptide (sh-Oligopeptide-1) — without rebuilding infrastructure for each application. One platform, multiple industries, consistent quality.This approach reduces development risk because each module is independently validated. It compresses timelines because module selection replaces process development from scratch. And it enables cost-effective production at small to commercial scale, because fixed platform costs are distributed across a broad product range.

Question 5

Can Immobazyme develop a novel molecule that does not yet exist commercially?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Immobazyme's molecular design capability allows us to develop proteins, enzymes, and peptides entirely from a client brief — including molecules not available from any commercial catalogue.The development process follows the same five-stage pipeline used for all Immobazyme products:Sequence design — computational protein engineering is applied to design a gene sequence optimised for the target biological activity, stability, and production yield in our expression system.Expression and fermentation — the designed gene is synthesised, cloned, and expressed in a microbial host under controlled bioreactor conditions.Purification and formulation — the target molecule is purified by FPLC chromatography to a verified purity level and lyophilised into stable powder.Analytical release — full CoA including mass spectrometry identity confirmation, purity, bioactivity, and safety screening.A novel bespoke molecule typically reaches certified, lyophilised, ready-to-use material in approximately six weeks from design brief. To discuss a bespoke development project, contact Nick at nick@immobazyme.com.

Question 6

What quality certifications does Immobazyme hold?

Accepted Answer

Immobazyme's quality system is certified to:ISO 9001 — Quality Management System, governing all internal processes, documentation, supplier management, and continuous improvement across every product category.ISO 22000 — Food Safety Management System, covering the full production chain from ingredient development through to finished product release for food and beverage applications.Halaal Kosher Every batch produced at our Cape Town facility is released with a Certificate of Analysis confirming identity, purity, potency, and safety — documented under our certified quality management system and maintained on a secure, traceable digital platform. Full batch records are available on request and support regulatory dossier preparation for clients across food, cosmetic, and research supply chains.

Question 7

Where is Immobazyme based and what facilities does the company operate?

Accepted Answer

Immobazyme is headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa, founded in 2019. We operate a purpose-built precision-fermentation and molecular biology facility housing six integrated laboratory environments under one roof and one quality system:Molecular biology suite — in-silico gene design, vector transformation, colony selection, and small-scale expression screening (SDS-PAGE, Western blot, ELISA).Fermentation bioprocessing laboratory — automated bioreactors with full sensor control, high-pressure homogenisation, tangential-flow filtration, and ÄKTA FPLC purification.Formulation and finishing laboratory — freeze-drying (lyophilisation) and spray-drying with proprietary stabilising formulation and specification-controlled packaging.Mammalian cell culture suite (BSL-2) — CO₂ incubation, BSL-2 laminar flow, microscopic cell imaging, and a panel of immortalised cell lines for product testing and bioactivity assays.Industrial bioprocessing laboratory — larger-scale fermentation, depth and ultrafiltration, rotary evaporation, and temperature-controlled stability storage for scale-up work.Analytical laboratory — mass spectrometry, gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), HPLC, PCR/qPCR, and potency assay capability for in-house identity, purity, and safety release testing.Every stage of production — from gene design to Certificate of Analysis — is conducted in-house at this facility.

Precision Fermentation
How Immobazyme designs, makes and proves biomolecules

INDUSTRIES SERVED AND PRODUCTS SUPPLIED

From gene design to validated supply

Every product Immobazyme makes follows the same disciplined, five-stage pipeline. Because Immobazyme controls every stage in-house, under one quality system, we control cost, lead-time, and quality end-to-end.

THE IMMOBAZYME PIPELINE

01 · Design —

in-silico gene design

We design a synthetic gene in silico, applying codon optimisation, metabolic modelling, and sequence engineering to maximise expression before any physical work begins.

02 · Express —
fermentation & cloning

The optimised gene is cloned into a microbial host. That host is grown under tightly-controlled conditions in our bioreactors, with real-time monitoring of pH, dissolved oxygen, and temperature, while it expresses the target protein.

03 · Purify —
recovery & chromatography

Cells are lysed under high pressure, and the target protein is captured and purified by tangential-flow filtration and FPLC chromatography to a high, verified level of purity.

04 · Formulate —
lyophilisation & finishing

Purified material is freeze-dried (lyophilised) or spray-dried into a stable powder, using proprietary stabilising formulation developed specifically for each molecule type.

05 · Prove —
analytical release & CoA

Every batch is characterised in our in-house analytical laboratory — mass spectrometry, SDS-PAGE, HPLC, and potency testing — and released with a Certificate of Analysis confirming identity, purity, and safety before it ever leaves our facility.

Quality & certification behind every batch

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTONS

Technology

What is precision fermentation?

What is the difference between precision fermentation and traditional fermentation?

What can precision fermentation produce?

What is a modular biotechnology platform?

Can Immobazyme develop a novel molecule that does not yet exist commercially?

What quality certifications does Immobazyme hold?

Where is Immobazyme based and what facilities does the company operate?

Precision Fermentation How Immobazyme designs, makes and proves biomolecules

INDUSTRIES SERVED AND PRODUCTS SUPPLIED

From gene design to validated supply

Every product Immobazyme makes follows the same disciplined, five-stage pipeline. Because Immobazyme controls every stage in-house, under one quality system, we control cost, lead-time, and quality end-to-end.

THE IMMOBAZYME PIPELINE

01 · Design —

in-silico gene design

We design a synthetic gene in silico, applying codon optimisation, metabolic modelling, and sequence engineering to maximise expression before any physical work begins.

02 · Express — fermentation & cloning

The optimised gene is cloned into a microbial host. That host is grown under tightly-controlled conditions in our bioreactors, with real-time monitoring of pH, dissolved oxygen, and temperature, while it expresses the target protein.

03 · Purify — recovery & chromatography

Cells are lysed under high pressure, and the target protein is captured and purified by tangential-flow filtration and FPLC chromatography to a high, verified level of purity.

04 · Formulate — lyophilisation & finishing

Purified material is freeze-dried (lyophilised) or spray-dried into a stable powder, using proprietary stabilising formulation developed specifically for each molecule type.

05 · Prove — analytical release & CoA

Every batch is characterised in our in-house analytical laboratory — mass spectrometry, SDS-PAGE, HPLC, and potency testing — and released with a Certificate of Analysis confirming identity, purity, and safety before it ever leaves our facility.

Quality & certification behind every batch

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTONS

Technology

What is precision fermentation?

What is the difference between precision fermentation and traditional fermentation?

What can precision fermentation produce?

What is a modular biotechnology platform?

Can Immobazyme develop a novel molecule that does not yet exist commercially?

What quality certifications does Immobazyme hold?

Where is Immobazyme based and what facilities does the company operate?

Precision Fermentation
How Immobazyme designs, makes and proves biomolecules

02 · Express —
fermentation & cloning

03 · Purify —
recovery & chromatography

04 · Formulate —
lyophilisation & finishing

05 · Prove —
analytical release & CoA