Biobatteries use enzymes to generate electricity from the breakdown of complex fuels, such as carbohydrates, fatty acids and alcohols. The enzymes require proper immobilization and stabilization for optimal performance; DNA hydrogels are an attractive solution, however DNA scalability and cost has previously hindered this approach. Touchlight’s revolutionary “doggybone” DNA (dbDNA™) platform offers DNA production capabilities at the scale and purity required to solve these issues.

Following successful proof of concept studies in the original grant from ONR and Dstl, Touchlight has been awarded an additional USD 0.7M to develop a biobattery prototype with real-world applicability – as well as to assess stability and portability via environmental testing.

These innovative biobatteries hold the promise of addressing critical challenges associated with conventional portable power sources, including limited energy storage capacity and environmental impact. By combining Touchlight’s proprietary enzymatic DNA amplification platform with the cutting edge biobattery research of Professor Shelley Minteer’s research group, this project aims to build on a successful foundation and continue to advance toward realising that promise.

The extended grant signifies a continued commitment to innovation and collaboration in pursuit of sustainable energy solutions.

About Touchlight

Touchlight is an innovation-driven leading CDMO pioneering enzymatic GMP DNA production to enable the genetic medicine revolution. As pioneers, with an FDA Drug Master File accepted in 2022 followed in 2025 with the world’s first cell-free DNA GMP license, Touchlight’s enzymatic DNA technology is on the cutting edge of AAV, mRNA, DNA vaccine, and gene editing technology with its state-of-the-art facility recognised by ISPE’s Facility of the Year Awards (FOYA) for Innovation.

With multiple client products already in the clinic, Touchlight’s evidence-based, synthetic DNA manufacturing solutions offer a scalable, sustainable alternative to plasmid DNA (pDNA) for all stages of pre-clinical, clinical and commercial development. The company and technology are built on the conviction that DNA is fundamental to the future of medicine. Traditional methods, based on bacterial fermentation, are slow, costly, and unable to meet the growing demands of genetic medicine due to limited scalability and speed. Founded in 2007, Touchlight’s team is inspired by breakthroughs in genetic medicine, recognising the urgent need for innovative DNA production techniques to support the future of genetic therapies.

For more information please contact:

Karen Fallen, Chief Executive Officer
Verna McErlane, Chief Commercial Officer
E: info@touchlight.com
T: +44 20 8481 9200