Constructive Bio secures exclusive licence for groundbreaking tRNA display technology

Constructive Bio secures exclusive licence for groundbreaking tRNA display technology

• tRNA Display technology enables the integration of new-to-nature building blocks into peptides and proteins

• This breakthrough technology overcomes a major barrier in protein engineering, unlocking unprecedented possibilities in medicines development and beyond

Constructive Bio, a leader in synthetic biology and genome recoding, today announces it has secured the exclusive licence to groundbreaking ‘tRNA Display’ technology from the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology. This technology revolutionises protein engineering by enabling the integration of new-to-nature building blocks (non-canonical amino acids) into peptides and proteins.

tRNA Display technology allows the rapid and accurate selection of enzymes (tRNA synthetases) that are critical for the seamless integration of non-canonical amino acids into proteins and peptides. It can be used to discover enzymes capable of incorporating novel monomers, as well as enzymes that significantly enhance manufacturing yields. This allows for the creation of next-generation therapeutics with enhanced properties, at scale and speed.

Constructive Bio will deploy this transformative technology to accelerate the development and scalable biomanufacturing of next-generation therapeutics, such as precision-targeted medicines. The commercial potential extends beyond medicine development and discovery, with future applications in agriculture and high-tech materials, offering bio-based alternatives to traditional manufacturing processes.

“This platform is a game-changer,” said Ola Wlodek, CEO of Constructive Bio. “We are developing a faster and more effective engineering framework for biology itself – systematically transforming how we design functional biomolecules from the very start. The tRNA Display technology is a robust and scalable tool that unlocks the vast potential of biology, enabling the creation of novel therapeutic proteins and peptides with unprecedented possibilities and new-to-nature features.”

Innovations from the MRC such as tRNA Display technology have been instrumental in driving the UK's economic growth. MRC-funded research has led to spin-out companies valued at over £6.1 billion, creating more than 3,800 jobs and drawing in £10.2 billion of external investment.

Professor Jason Chin, Chief Scientific Officer of Constructive Bio, said: “tRNA display overcomes a massive barrier in protein engineering by enabling the rapid selection and integration of new-to-nature building blocks into proteins and peptides. This advance was made possible by exceptional and innovative scientists and long terms support at the LMB. This development unlocks unprecedented possibilities in drug discovery and development by expanding the chemical scope of the genetic code.”

Dr Jan Löwe, Director of the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB), said: "At the LMB we are extremely proud to have supported Jason’s ground-breaking research in artificial biology. Being able to make biology-inspired molecules with new chemistries is an important milestone and the new work makes this much easier. Transferring the knowledge to Constructive Bio, one of the LMB’s spin-out companies, will enable maximum societal benefits, as soon as possible."

Today’s announcement marks another significant milestone during an exciting period of rapid growth for Constructive Bio, following its successful Series A funding round of $58 million and the addition of Nobel laureate Sir Gregory Winter to its board of directors. Constructive Bio’s technology platform, which enables the development of engineered proteins and peptides with unprecedented precision, is poised to transform key industries from pharmaceutical to agriculture and biomaterials.

About Constructive Bio

At Constructive Bio we rewrite the genome to build the biomolecules of the future. Our unique technology turns living cells into biofactories, creating sustainable new materials and therapeutics. With full control of the genetic sequence and code, we are exploring chemical space previously unreached by natural biology.

Through exclusive access to breakthrough science from the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, based on the research carried out by our founder Professor Jason Chin, Constructive Bio alone has the ability to rewrite entire genomes and incorporate multiple non-canonical amino acids in a single molecule.

Constructive Bio is realising the full scientific and commercial potential of its technologies through its proprietary platforms. These include:

• Full genome synthesis: We assemble DNA into genome-scale pieces, stitching and replacing megabases of DNA inside living cells. Through this process, we create entirely new genomes from scratch, writing the genetic blueprint of cells with unprecedented flexibility and precision.

• Engineered protein translation: Constructive Bio synthesises proteins with expanded functions by incorporating non-canonical amino acids (ncAAs). Through reprogramming the genetic code of cells and expanding their repertoire of chemical building blocks, our technology creates biofactories for the discovery and manufacturing of novel biopolymers. These molecules have unique properties and diverse applications across science and industry, including pharmaceuticals, agriculture and biomaterials.