27 July 2026
Biocatalysis has become an increasingly important tool in the synthesis of pharmaceutical small-molecule intermediates, enabling shorter synthetic routes, improved selectivity, reduced waste generation, and more sustainable manufacturing processes. When combined with continuous flow biocatalysis, enzymatic processes may offer additional benefits including enhanced productivity, improved enzyme utilization, simplified downstream processing, and more efficient scale-up.
Despite these advantages, the widespread adoption of flow biocatalysis in pharmaceutical manufacturing remains limited by several technical and operational challenges. These include enzyme stability and reusability, immobilization strategies, reactor design, cofactor regeneration, mass-transfer limitations, substrate solubility issues, and the need to clearly demonstrate sustainability benefits compared with conventional batch processes.
Through this opnMe call, we invite scientific experts to shape the next generation of scalable and sustainable flow biocatalysis processes by submitting innovative proposals addressing the following question:
How would you propose developing scalable and sustainable flow biocatalysis processes for the synthesis of pharmaceutical small-molecule intermediates?
We welcome innovative solutions that improve enzyme stability and reusability, reactor operability, process performance, and sustainability in continuous flow biocatalysis. Successful proposals should demonstrate scientific feasibility, scalability potential, and a clear pathway toward more sustainable pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Selected winners will have the opportunity to collaborate directly with Boehringer Ingelheim's Department of Drug Substance NCE and may receive funding for a 12-month research collaboration. Funding requests should be milestone-based and not exceed USD 95,000.
Submit your ideas now. Proposals will only be accepted if received through September 15, 2026, 11:59 pm PST.
No registration required
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About our opn2EXPERTS question:
How would you propose developing scalable and sustainable flow biocatalysis processes for the synthesis of pharmaceutical small-molecule intermediates? With ambitious questions such as this, we share precisely formulated scientific questions with the research community as part of our opn2EXPERTS program. Together with winning teams, we intend to explore novel solutions for discovery research that will ultimately benefit the needs of patients.
About opnMe:
opnMe.com, the open science portal of Boehringer Ingelheim, fosters science and collaboration initiatives in areas of high unmet medical need. Our molecules are provided to the scientific community either free of charge as “Molecules to Order” or applied for via scientific research submissions as “Molecules for Collaboration”. With “opn2EXPERTS” and “techMATCH”, we enlist scientific advice on key scientific topics to fuel further drug discovery and deliver novel solutions that benefit unmet patient needs. Our "opn2TALENTS" postdoc grants at one of our research sites offer opportunities for high-level talents to propose innovative approaches for precisely defined scientific questions.