Codexis Announces Agreement with Pfizer to Supply Enzyme for the Manufacture of PAXLOVID™ (nirmatrelvir tablets; ritonavir tablets)

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., July 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Codexis, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDXS), a leading enzyme engineering company enabling the promise of synthetic biology, today announced that the Company has entered into an agreement with Pfizer for the supply of a proprietary high-performance enzyme used to manufacture a critical intermediate for nirmatrelvir, an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) in PAXLOVID™, Pfizer’s antiviral therapeutic, which is currently authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in people at high risk of progression to severe illness and authorized or approved by other regulatory authorities across the globe.

“Pfizer has played a critical role in the response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, including through their rapid development of PAXLOVID™, and I am incredibly proud that Codexis’ engineered enzyme is enabling a sustainable manufacturing route for their nirmatrelvir API,” said John Nicols, President and CEO of Codexis. “This agreement demonstrates the agility of Codexis’ commercial supply chain and manufacturing capabilities to very rapidly generate unprecedented enzyme quantities. We look forward to our continued support of Pfizer’s manufacturing of PAXLOVID™ for COVID-19 patients.”

“Codexis has been an extremely valuable partner throughout the scale-up of the nirmatrelvir process, and we are pleased to extend our partnership through this multi-year agreement,” said Pamela Siwik, Vice President, Launch Excellence, Pfizer Global Supply. “Their unique enzyme is an important element in the manufacture of PAXLOVID™ and plays a role in supporting our efforts to ensure rapid availability of this COVID-19 oral treatment to people around the world.”

For important information related to the terms of the enzyme supply agreement and its impact on Codexis’ outlook, see Codexis’ Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on July 14, 2022.

About Codexis

Codexis is a leading enzyme engineering company leveraging its proprietary CodeEvolver® platform to discover and develop novel, high performance enzymes and novel biotherapeutics. Codexis enzymes have applications in the sustainable manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, food, and industrial products; in the creation of the next generation of life science tools; and as gene therapy and oral enzyme therapies. The company’s unique performance enzymes drive improvements such as: reduced energy usage, waste generation and capital requirements; higher yields; higher fidelity diagnostics; and more efficacious therapeutics. Codexis enzymes enable the promise of synthetic biology to improve the health of people and the planet. For more information, visit .

Forward-Looking Statements

To the extent that statements contained in this press release are not descriptions of historical facts regarding Codexis, they are forward-looking statements reflecting the current beliefs and expectations of management made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including Codexis’ expectations regarding the supply of its proprietary high performance enzyme to Pfizer and Codexis’ ability to continue to support the manufacture of Pfizer’s treatment for COVID-19 patients. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that are, in some cases, beyond Codexis’ control and that could materially affect actual results. Additional information about factors that could materially affect actual results can be found in Codexis’ Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on February 28, 2022 and in Codexis’ Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 9, 2022, including under the caption “Risk Factors,” and in Codexis’ other periodic reports filed with the SEC. Codexis expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

Investor Relations Contact:

Argot Partners

Brendan Strong/Carrie McKim

(212) 600-1902