Unilever and Arzeda harnesses the facility of computer-designed enzymes
Unilever’s multi-year partnership aims to discover new enzymes that will help transform the sustainability and performance of cleaning and laundry products
Unilever and Arzeda, the industry-leading Protein Design Company, has formed a strategic partnership to apply the latest advances in digital biology to the discovery and development of new enzymes. The partnership will impact many of the world’s leading cleaning and laundry products, including Unilever’s OMO (Persil), Sunlight and Surf.
Enzymes are fundamental to the natural and living world around us and are responsible for almost all biological functions that take place on earth, from the uptake of CO2 by plants and trees to the conversion of food into energy in our bodies.
Enzymes have long been an important part of cleaning and laundry detergents as they dissolve stains from grease, oils and protein chains on our laundry and surfaces. To date, science has only scratched the surface of the benefits it could offer in our daily lives. The unfolding of their power could offer almost endless possibilities.
As part of the partnership, the global consumer goods company will apply Arzeda’s world-leading digital biology techniques to its own product innovations across its cleaning and laundry portfolio over the next three years.
Arzeda learns from the multitude of enzymes already present in nature and uses intelligent technologies – a combination of physics-based computer-aided protein design and deep learning, a form of AI – to optimize their functionalities. In addition to researching naturally occurring enzymes in the world, Arzeda is also able to develop various new versions with unique benefits that would otherwise not have been possible.
Originally obtained from nature, Arzeda optimizes enzymes to replace ingredients with a high ecological footprint that are commonly found in most cleaning and laundry products. As part of its Clean Future strategy, Unilever is committed to eliminating primary fossil fuels as the raw material for the chemicals in its cleaning and laundry detergent formulations.
Enzymes that are low-carbon, naturally derived and provide additional performance benefits will help Unilever achieve its Clean Future goals. The discovery and optimization of new enzymes in formulations could result in the use of up to 50% fewer ingredients while offering the consumer superior cleaning benefits.
Not only does this partnership bring new benefits to the cleaning and laundry sector, but it also encourages knowledge sharing on previously undiscovered uses of enzymes that could solve broader consumer, industrial and environmental challenges across multiple sectors. Arzeda is currently working with a number of global players to develop forward-thinking solutions to major societal and everyday problems, from producing renewable chemicals to self-healing phone screens.
Peter Ter Kulve, President of Unilever Home Care, said, “This partnership is an exciting step forward as we work to shape our cleaning and laundry business in a way that is superior, sustainable and affordable for all. We look forward to working with Arzeda to develop a new generation of high-performance cleaning and washing products with an environmental impact that is only a fraction of the size of current products. “
Alexandre Zanghellini, CEO and Founder of Arzeda, said: “We are excited to partner with Unilever to support their Clean Future ambitions with enzymes that improve the environmental footprint of consumer products. Arzeda’s mission is to develop and manufacture new proteins that improve health and sustainability, and we see this partnership as an important milestone in making this a reality in home care. By working with Unilever, we hope to usher in a new era for industrial enzymes that contribute to a more sustainable world while improving the consumer experience. “
