There are moments in science when something small and elusive suddenly becomes attainable, when a molecule trapped in the fine print of research papers becomes the centerpiece of an entirely new chapter in health. That is what happened when eXoZymes turned its attention to plant-derived N-trans-caffeoyltyramine (NCT), an investigational compound with the potential to change how the world treats chronic metabolic and inflammatory diseases.
At the heart of that pursuit lies NCT, a molecule that acts as a potent activator of HNF4α, a transcription factor that governs liver fat metabolism, gut integrity, and inflammatory response. In the body, HNF4α is like a master switch. When switched on, it can reverse fat buildup, promote fat breakdown, and restore mitochondrial energy balance. Yet in modern metabolic diseases, that switch is often turned off.
Preclinical research has shown that activating HNF4α with NCT may help the liver clear stored fat and also reduce inflammation and enhance mitochondrial function. While the therapeutic impact of NCT has not yet been proven for any disease, for millions living with metabolic and inflammatory disorders – non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD/MASLD), obesity or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) – the future development of therapies targeting HNF4α could be transformative.
But nature offers NCT in vanishingly small quantities, less than a fraction of a percent in black pepper or the husks of hemp seeds, making extraction unrealistic and synthetic production too costly. The molecule’s promise remained locked away, until eXoZymes developed a new way to make biochemicals that bypasses the limitations of both petrochemistry and cell-based biomanufacturing.
Unlocking Nature’s Chemistry
eXoZymes’ breakthrough came from studying nature’s own way of making complex molecules. Instead of relying on living cells, which are fragile and inefficient at industrial scale, the company used proprietary artificial intelligence and genetic engineering methods to modify chains of enzymes so they could operate outside a cell freely and efficiently. These enhanced enzymes, called exozymes, mimic the pathways plants use to produce rare compounds like NCT, but do so in a cell-free bioreactor with extraordinary precision.
That innovation meant NCT could finally be made at commercial scale. What once required vast fields of plants and wasteful extraction could now be produced from a simple feedstock converted with remarkable yield. eXoZymes then licensed this biomanufacturing solution exclusively to its subsidiary NCTx, creating a focused vehicle to bring the molecule to market.
“The beauty of leading with NCT,” said Damien Perriman, eXoZymes’ Chief Commercial Officer, “is that we’ve taken something nature only whispers about and figured out how to make it into something we can actually use, because we can provide it at scale.”
For Perriman and his team, NCTx is proof that their novel enzyme platform can tackle problems no one else could solve. “We went from idea to actual production in months,” he said. “That speed is unheard of in our space.”
Rewriting The Story of Metabolic Health
Modern metabolic conditions, such as fatty liver, gut inflammation, and obesity, share disrupted processes: fat buildup, mitochondrial dysfunction, and immune system imbalance. A drug with the potential to address several interconnected diseases through a single biological pathway could greatly benefit patients.
Although NCT is investigational, its potential ability to target interconnected metabolic and inflammatory pathways have made it a compelling subject for further research. Early studies in cells and animals suggest that oral administration of NCT may reduce liver fat, promote weight loss, and alleviate inflammation, while also restoring gut balance by activating key intestinal genes and strengthening the gut barrier.
Beyond liver and gut, the implications are systemic. Mitochondria, the cell’s energy engines appear to respond strongly to NCT activation, increasing both their mass and performance. Although future clinical studies are necessary to show NCT’s therapeutic benefit, improved mitochondrial function could mean better metabolic control across tissues, opening a window into broader applications in obesity and metabolic dysfunction.
For Perriman, the significance goes beyond a single disease target. “What excites us most,” he said, “is not just what NCT’s potential to support metabolic health, but also what demonstrates for our platform. It proves that biology, when guided by technology, can unlock exciting molecules with meaningful impact in a manner that is sustainable and economical.”
From Scarcity To Scale
For decades, NCT was little more than a research curiosity. Its natural yield was too low for study, and the chemical synthesis route too complex for mass production. Even under ideal conditions, a full hemp plant could yield less than 0.03 grams of the compound, a bottleneck that rendered it commercially invisible.
NCTx solved that scarcity problem by replicating the biosynthetic pathways that occur in plants, using eXoZymes’ technology to recreate the same biochemistry in a clean, cell-free biomanufacturing system. The result: scalable, pure NCT, ready for formulation and testing. What once took nature months and hectares of biomass can now happen in a day inside a controlled bioreactor.
The implications for both metabolic disease and industry are profound. Chronic liver conditions like non-alcoholic fatty liver disease affect hundreds of millions worldwide, yet no effective treatment exists. Obesity and gut diseases like IBD impact millions more, driving long-term inflammation and poor quality of life. If clinical studies show that NCT can indeed modulate the same biological levers across these conditions, it could represent a leap forward in both prevention and treatment.
The Promise Ahead
eXoZymes’ broader vision is to prove that its enzyme technology can replace the petrochemical and cellular manufacturing systems that have dominated for a century. NCTx is the proof point, a demonstration that clean, scalable biomanufacturing can meet the world’s health and sustainability needs simultaneously.
After completing a 6 months study to prove that NCT can scale and meet internal quality standards, NCTx is now preparing for larger scale production to support partners across pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and functional food sectors. The goal is to make this molecule widely available so that industries already experienced in formulation and regulation can bring NCT’s promise to patients and consumers.
As Perriman put it, “We’re building the bridge between science and scale. Every molecule we make brings us closer to proving that nature’s chemistry can work at commercial levels cleanly, consistently, and at a price the world can live with.”
For NCTx, this is only the first chapter. The eXoZymes platform could unlock countless other natural compounds trapped by scarcity turning biological potential into real-world possibility.
And for the millions living with conditions once considered untreatable, that possibility might just be the most human breakthrough of all.
Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. No product referenced herein is intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
