IP Library Granted Patent US 12,595,497
Granted Patent B2
US 12,595,497 · App. 18/301,790 · Granted Apr 7, 2026

Processes for the production of tryptamines

Inventor: Ryan Protzko (Berkeley, CA)
Assignee: Compass Pathfinder Limited
C12P17/10A61K31/4045C07D209/16C12N9/0042C12N9/0071C12N9/0083C12N9/1205C12N9/88C12Y106/02004C12Y114/16004C12Y114/99C12Y207/01C12Y401/01
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,595,497
App. No.
18/301,790
Granted
Apr 7, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed herein are prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbes, including E. coli and S. cerevisiae , genetically altered to biosynthesize tryptamine and tryptamine derivatives. The microbes of the disclosure may be engineered to contain plasmids and stable gene integrations containing sufficient genetic information for conversion of an anthranilate or an indole to a tryptamine. The fermentative production of substituted tryptamines in a whole-cell biocatalyst may be useful for cost effective production of these compounds for therapeutic use.

Claims (37)

1 . A method of synthesizing a tryptamine derivative from a substituted tryptamine, the method comprising

cultivating an engineered microbial cell comprising one or more nucleic acid sequences encoding one or more of:

(i) a tryptamine 4-hydroxylase comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 80% sequence identity to any one of SEQ ID NOS: 32-35;

(ii) a tryptamine 5-hydroxylase comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 80% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 47;

(iii) a kinase comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 80% sequence identity to any one of SEQ ID NOS: 41-44;

(iv) a P450 reductase comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 80% sequence identity to any one of SEQ ID NOS: 36-40; and

(v) a transferase comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 80% sequence identity to any one of SEQ ID NOS: 21-31 or 46,

in the presence of a substituted tryptamine to produce the tryptamine derivative, wherein:

a) the substituted tryptamine comprises tryptamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine, or 5-phosphoryloxytryptamine, and the tryptamine derivative is:

(5-phosphoryloxy-N-methyltryptamine);

b) the substituted tryptamine comprises N,N-dipropyltryptamine or 4-hydroxy-N,N-dipropyltryptamine and the tryptamine derivative is:

(4-phosphoryloxy-N,N-dipropyltryptamine);

c) the substituted tryptamine comprises N,N-dipropyltryptamine or 5-hydroxy-N,N-dipropyltryptamine and the tryptamine derivative is:

(5-phosphoryloxy-N,N-dipropyltryptamine);

d) the substituted tryptamine comprises 7-hydroxytryptamine or 7-phosphoryloxytryptamine, and the tryptamine derivative is:

(7-phosphoryloxy-N-methyltryptamine);

e) the substituted tryptamine comprises ibogamine or 4-hydroxyibogamine, and the tryptamine derivative is:

(4-phosphoryloxyibogamine) or

(4-phosphoryloxyibogamine);

f) the substituted tryptamine comprises ibogamine or 4-hydroxyibogamine, and the tryptamine derivative is:

(4-methoxyibogamine);

g) the substituted tryptamine comprises ibogamine and the tryptamine derivative is:

(4-hydroxyibogamine) or

(4-hydroxyibogamine);

h) the substituted tryptamine comprises tryptamine, 4-hydroxytryptamine, 4-methoxytryptamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-methoxytryptamine, N,N-dimethyltryptamine, 4-hydroxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine, 5-hydroxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine, or 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine, and the tryptamine derivative is:

(4,5-dimethoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine); or

i) the substituted tryptamine comprises tryptamine, 4-hydroxytryptamine, or N-acetyltryptamine, and the tryptamine derivative is:

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the engineered microbial cell is a eukaryotic cell.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the eukaryotic cell is a yeast cell.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the yeast cell is of the species Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the engineered microbial cell is a prokaryotic cell.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the prokaryotic cell is a bacterial cell.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the bacterial cell is of the species Escherichia coli or Corynebacterium glutamicum.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the substituted tryptamine is produced biosynthetically by the engineered microbial cell.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the engineered microbial cell secretes the tryptamine derivative into a culture broth.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the engineered microbial cell is a lysate of the engineered microbial cell.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the substituted tryptamine is fed to the engineered microbial cell.

Assignments (3)
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 30, 2023
From: COMPASS PATHWAYS PLC; COMPASS PATHFINDER HOLDINGS LIMITED; COMPASS PATHFINDER LIMITED; COMPASS PATHWAYS, INC.
To: HERCULES CAPITAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 064184/0068 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 25, 2023
From: PROTZKO, RYAN
To: NEW ATLAS BIOTECHNOLOGIES LLC
Reel/Frame 063428/0063 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 25, 2023
From: NEW ATLAS BIOTECHNOLOGIES LLC
To: COMPASS PATHFINDER LIMITED
Reel/Frame 063428/0070 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 17012737 · Sep 4, 2020
Continuation PCTUS2019021489 · Mar 8, 2019
Provisional Application 62640443 · Mar 8, 2018
Related Publication 20240084344A1 · Mar 14, 2024
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