Synthesis of Vibegron Enabled by a Ketoreductase Rationally Designed for High pH Dynamic Kinetic Reduction

: Described here is an efficient stereoselective synthesis of vibegron enabled by an enzymatic dynamic kinetic reduction that proceeds in a high-pH environment. To overcome enzyme performance limitations under these conditions, a ketoreductase was evolved by a computationally and structurally aided strategy to increase cofactor stability through tighter binding.