Biotransformations and the Pharma Industry

Abstract Biotechnology should focus on areas where organic chemists have a true need. This is less in the area of renewable feedstocks than in the area of ecologically burdened synthetic chemical methods, which should be replaced as soon as possible by biotransformation steps. An analysis of the organic chemical toolbox shows the directions in which the efforts in enzyme screening and improvement must go. The still suboptimally equipped enzymatic toolbox must be filled with readily available enzymes that can be used by organic chemists.