eXoZymes Secures $2.03M NIH Grant to Develop Rare Cannabinoid Analogs
EXOZ•eXoZymes secured a Phase IIB SBIR grant of $2.03 million from NIGMS to fund two-year development of cell-free production of rare cannabinoids and engineered analogs starting July 2026. The award lifts total non-dilutive funding to $19.7 million as the minor cannabinoids market is projected to reach $33.3 billion by 2030.
1. NIH Awards $2.03 Million Phase IIB SBIR Grant
eXoZymes has received a $2,028,518 Phase IIB SBIR grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences. The two-year program begins July 1, 2026, and targets development of rare cannabinoids and new analogs using enzyme-based production.
2. Expansion of Cell-Free Biosolution Pipeline
This grant represents eXoZymes’ second biosolution after its NCT program, validating its AI-enhanced, cell-free enzyme platform. The work will focus on engineering cannabinoid cyclase expression systems, diversifying analog output and conducting preclinical receptor-binding assays.
3. Market Opportunity and Funding Milestone
Rare cannabinoids are forecast to grow from $11.5 billion in 2023 to $33.3 billion by 2030 at a 15% CAGR. With this latest award, total non-dilutive funding for eXoZymes has reached $19.7 million, underpinning its scalable manufacturing technology.
