Biocatalysis in Flow for Drug Discovery

The use of enzymes in organic synthesis has seen a significant rise in the past 20 years. This is due to the increased application of directed evolution, allowing enzymes to be improved to the point of being the best catalyst for a specific function. In relation to drug manufacture, this has seen engineered biocatalysts used in several manufacturing processes. But in early-stage drug discovery, there is much less direct application. This has been attributed to slow pace of biocatalysts not matching up to the speed required in drug discovery. In this context, it seems flow chemistry can offer a route into discovery programmes for biocatalysis. This chapter will discuss some recent advances of biocatalysis in continuous flow and consider how this can impact on the use of enzymes in drug discovery programmes.