What is enlicitide, and why is its manufacturing challenging?

Enlicitide is an oral drug candidate developed by Merck & Co. that lowers cholesterol by inhibiting the protein PCSK9—a target for which only injectable FDA-approved therapies currently exist. Its manufacturing is challenging because it is a 'massive molecule', specifically a macrocyclic peptide, making large-scale production difficult to achieve efficiently and sustainably.

How did Merck & Co. overcome the manufacturing challenge for enlicitide?

Scientists at Merck & Co. developed a manufacturing route that uses a suite of enzymes—i.e., biocatalysts—to assemble enlicitide, enabling efficient and sustainable production at scale, as reported in Science (2026, DOI: 10.1126/science.aed8713).

Biocatalysts Build Big Molecule on Big Scale

May 7, 2026

Merck & Co. scientists report a new biocatalytic manufacturing route for the cholesterol drug candidate enlicitide, enabling efficient large-scale production of the complex macrocyclic peptide. This method overcomes supply challenges associated with the oral therapy.

cen

2026-05-07

Biocatalysts Build Big Molecule on Big Scale

2026-06-01

Cyclic Peptides Gain Momentum in Drug Development

Biocatalysts Build Big Molecule on Big Scale

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