Company to collaborate with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory on AI-enabled digital twins designed to accelerate optimization of enzyme-driven manufacturing processes.
The 9-month project awarded approximately $747,000 in total funding, including $147,000 awarded to eXoZymes
Expands eXoZymes' AI strategy beyond enzyme engineering into AI-guided manufacturing, leveraging digital twins to predict, optimize and accelerate development of cell-free bioprocesses.
Provides access to the DOE Genesis Mission Platform, including advanced AI models, AI agents and high-performance computing infrastructure to accelerate future platform development.
LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESS Newswire / July 23, 2026 / Today, eXoZymes Inc. (NASDAQ:EXOZ) ("eXoZymes") - a pioneer of AI-enhanced enzymes that transform abundant feedstock into valuable nutraceuticals and novel medicines, - announced it has been selected to participate in the inaugural U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Genesis Mission, a nationwide initiative bringing together leading researchers, national laboratories and industry leaders to accelerate scientific discovery through artificial intelligence.
As part of the nine-month project, eXoZymes will collaborate with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) researchers Dr. Edward Baidoo and Dr. Hector Garcia Martin to develop AI-powered digital twins for cell-free biomanufacturing. The award also provides access to the Genesis Mission Platform, including advanced AI models, AI agents, and high-performance computing resources.
CEO of eXoZymes, Michael Heltzen, states: "For centuries, biology has largely been an observational science. We believe the next generation of biomanufacturing will be built at the intersection of artificial intelligence and digital insights into biology. To make that happen, we are accelerating the design-build-test-learn cycle of biomanufacturing development using our cell-free platform."
Heltzen continues, "In my opinion, digital biology - including digital twins - has the potential to become one of the defining technologies of this century, and projects like the Genesis Mission help accelerate that transition. Digital twins have already transformed industries by allowing engineers to simulate, optimize, and refine complex systems, like airplanes in the aviation industry, before building them in the real world. We believe the same transformation is coming of age in biology, where AI-powered digital twins could fundamentally change how biological manufacturing processes are designed, optimized, and scaled."
Under the project, eXoZymes will generate curated experimental datasets from multiple cell-free enzymatic pathways, while Dr. Edward Baidoo's team will establish advanced metabolomic workflows that transform those experiments into AI-ready datasets. Dr. Hector Garcia Martin's team will then integrate those datasets into hybrid digital twin models that combine enzyme kinetics, reactor physics and machine learning, creating predictive models capable of identifying optimal operating conditions before laboratory validation.
"Our cell-free platform generates exceptionally clean, quantitative datasets because it eliminates many of the biological variables inherent in living-cell systems," said Dr. Paul Opgenorth, co-founder and VP of Development at eXoZymes, who also is the Principal Investigator for the project. "That makes it an ideal foundation for training predictive AI models and building digital twins capable of optimizing increasingly complex biochemical manufacturing processes."
The Genesis Mission generated the largest response to a funding opportunity in DOE history, with 278 projects selected across national laboratories, universities, companies, and nonprofit organizations. Selected research teams receive access to the Genesis Mission Platform, including advanced AI models, AI agent frameworks, and high-performance computing resources to accelerate scientific discovery.
About eXoZymes
Founded in 2019, eXoZymes is pioneering a cell-free biomanufacturing platform that uses AI-enhanced enzymes - called exozymes - to make valuable natural products and new analogs outside living cells. The company's platform is designed to replace inefficient extraction and petrochemical processes with a scalable way to produce high-value molecules for nutraceutical and pharmaceutical markets.
eXoZymes is building a portfolio of biosolutions across NCT, cannabinoid analogs, santalene, and other high-value natural product molecules, with potential commercialization paths that include partnerships, licensing and joint ventures. Learn more at exozymes.com
eXoZymes Safe Harbor
This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe the company's future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as "believe," "expect," "may," "will," "should," "would," "could," "seek," "intend," "plan," "goal," "project," "estimate," "anticipate," "strategy," "future," "likely," "potential," or other comparable terms, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release regarding the company's strategies, prospects, financial condition, operations, costs, plans and objectives are forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially for a variety of reasons. You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described in the "Risk Factors" section of eXoZymes' quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, annual reports on Form 10-K, and other documents filed by eXoZymes from time to time by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings identify and address important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and eXoZymes assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. eXoZymes does not give any assurance that it will achieve its expectations.
eXoZymes contact
Lasse Görlitz, VP of Comms & IR
(858) 319-7135
press@exozymes.com
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SOURCE: eXoZymes
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/biotechnology/exozymes-selected-for-does-genesis-mission-to-advance-ai-powered-digital-twins-for-ce-1195498
