Lab of the Month – Aralez Bio
Our Company
Aralez Bio is a platform technology company revolutionizing the synthesis of noncanonical amino acids, ncAAs, through biocatalysis. Our proprietary processes enable the production of thousands of ncAAs sustainably at production scales.
Founded in 2019 Aralez Bio has rapidly advanced in the biotech industry. In December 2024, the company secured Series A funding and in 2025 moved to a facility in Berkeley, CA capable of ton-scale production.
Aralez Bio’s extensive collection of novel ncAAs provides unparalleled atomic-level control in peptide medicinal chemistry, empowering the development of next-generation therapeutics. Our commitment to sustainability and innovation positions us at the forefront of modern drug discovery and development.
Expanding Chemical Space with Biology
Aralez Bio redefines the synthesis of noncanonical amino acids, ncAAs, through cutting-edge enzyme engineering tailored for industrial-scale applications. Leveraging the power of directed evolution, Aralez Bio optimizes enzymes to operate efficiently under demanding conditions. These biocatalysts demonstrate exceptional stability across a wide range of temperatures—up to 100°C—and pH values, while maintaining high activity even at molar, M, substrate concentrations.
Designed for efficiency, Aralez Bio’s enzymatic processes achieve remarkable reaction rates, completing syntheses within 2–24 hours. This rapid turnover minimizes lead times and significantly reduces production costs, making it a cost-effective alternative to traditional chemical synthesis methods. Notably, these processes are not only scalable but also often outperform conventional approaches in terms of yield and sustainability.
By combining robustness, scalability, and speed, Aralez Bio’s biocatalytic platform enables researchers and manufacturers to access a diverse portfolio of ncAAs with unparalleled efficiency, fueling advancements in pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and beyond.
Unparalleled Access to Novel Noncanonical Amino Acids
Aralez Bio boasts the world’s largest collection of novel noncanonical amino acids, ncAAs, with an impressive 70% of its products being exclusive to its proprietary portfolio. This unique offering provides researchers and manufacturers with unprecedented access to chemical diversity, empowering the development of innovative solutions across pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and beyond.
When Aralez Bio first ventured into the vast expansion of amino acid chemical space, tryptophan synthase subunit B, also known as TrpB, was chosen as the flagship enzyme. As a result, Trp derivatives currently represent the majority of catalog and custom amino acids, numbering in the thousands. In the pie chart, the “other” category represents Aralez Bio’s commitment to innovate and expand chemical diversity across all 20 canonical amino acids.
Sustainability Redefined: Aralez Bio versus Traditional Chemical Methods
Aralez Bio is setting a new benchmark in sustainable manufacturing by leveraging biocatalysis to dramatically reduce waste, energy consumption, and emissions compared to conventional ncAA production methods.
The company’s flagship process achieves an extraordinary 50-fold reduction in electricity usage, CO2 emissions, hazardous chemical consumption, and overall environmental impact. This impressive efficiency not only minimizes the ecological footprint of ncAA manufacturing but also ensures scalability and cost-effectiveness.
Adding to this advantage, Aralez Bio’s platform is remarkably versatile, enabling a small, highly optimized set of enzymes to synthesize thousands of distinct products. This flexibility has fueled the creation of the world’s largest portfolio of novel ncAAs, with more than 70% of these products being exclusive to Aralez Bio.
By addressing the persistent challenges of traditional ncAA production, Aralez Bio is paving the way for broader adoption of sustainable practices in the biotechnology industry. The accompanying graph illustrates the stark contrast in environmental impact between biocatalysis and chemical methods, highlighting Aralez Bio’s transformative approach to ncAA manufacturing.
Frances Arnold, Co-Founder
Professor Frances Arnold is an innovative leader in the field of chemical engineering and biotechnology. As the co-founder of Aralez Bio, she brings her profound expertise to the development of groundbreaking technologies in biochemistry and synthetic biology. At the California Institute of Technology, she holds the prestigious Linus Pauling Professorship of Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, and Biochemistry.
Renowned for her pioneering work in directed protein evolution, Professor Arnold has fundamentally reshaped the landscape of chemical research and industrial applications. Her transformative methods harness the principles of natural selection to design enzymes and proteins with novel functionalities, impacting diverse fields such as sustainable energy, pharmaceuticals, and agriculture.
Her groundbreaking contributions were recognized with the 2018 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, cementing her status as a trailblazer in her discipline. In addition, she has been honored with prestigious accolades, including the Millennium Technology Prize, the Charles Stark Draper Prize from the National Academy of Engineering, and the U.S. National Medal of Technology and Innovation.
Beyond her achievements in research, Professor Arnold’s influence extends to her roles as a mentor, thought leader, and advocate for science and engineering. She is a distinguished member of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Medicine, and Engineering, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Royal Academy of Engineering. Her election to the American Philosophical Society reflects her contributions to the intellectual and practical advancement of scientific understanding.
As a staunch supporter of environmental sustainability, Professor Arnold continues to inspire the next generation of scientists to tackle global challenges through innovative biotechnological solutions. Her work is not only a testament to the power of interdisciplinary research but also a beacon for the future of engineering and life sciences.
Tina Boville, Co-Founder & CEO
Dr. Tina Boville is a dynamic entrepreneur and trailblazer in the biotechnology industry. As the co-founder and CEO of Aralez Bio, she leads the company in harnessing innovative biotechnological approaches to tackle some of the most pressing challenges in sustainable manufacturing and life sciences.
Her groundbreaking work and entrepreneurial spirit have earned her widespread recognition. Dr. Boville has been named one of MIT Technology Review’s Innovators Under 35, an Activate Fellow, and a Biotech Founder to Watch, highlighting her influence as a leading voice in the intersection of science and technology.
Dr. Boville’s academic journey reflects her dedication to advancing biochemistry. She earned her Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Colorado, where she laid the foundation for her expertise in protein engineering. She later joined the California Institute of Technology as a Resnick Prize Postdoctoral Fellow, conducting pioneering research that resulted in the co-development of Aralez Bio’s transformative tryptophan synthase platform.
Under her leadership, Aralez Bio is redefining sustainable biochemical solutions, emphasizing innovation, environmental responsibility, and scientific excellence. Dr. Boville’s vision and achievements position her as an influential leader driving the future of biotechnology.
David Romney, Co-Founder & CTO
Dr. David Romney is an accomplished scientist and innovator who co-founded Aralez Bio, where he serves as Chief Technology Officer. His leadership and technical expertise drive the development of cutting-edge biotechnological solutions that bridge fundamental science and industrial application.
Dr. Romney’s academic journey exemplifies a commitment to advancing chemical and biological sciences. He earned his Ph.D. from Yale University, where his groundbreaking work on peptide-based catalysts for selective mono-oxygenation reactions earned him the 2015 Richard Wolfgang Prize in Chemistry, awarded for the best doctoral thesis. This recognition underscores the caliber of his scientific contributions during his graduate studies.
Following his doctoral research, Dr. Romney joined the laboratory of Nobel Laureate Frances Arnold at Caltech as a NIH Postdoctoral Scholar. There, he was instrumental in developing innovative methods for synthesizing noncanonical amino acids using the tryptophan synthase platform—technology that now serves as a cornerstone of Aralez Bio’s success.
Dr. Romney’s contributions to the field have garnered widespread recognition. Most notably, he was honored as one of Chemical & Engineering News’s Talented 12, a prestigious distinction celebrating rising stars in the global chemistry community.
At Aralez Bio, Dr. Romney combines his passion for scientific discovery with a mission to develop sustainable and impactful solutions, positioning the company as a leader in the biotechnology industry.
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