Semi-synthetic cephalosporin antibiotics belong to the top 10 of most sold drugs, and are produced from 7-aminodes-acetoxycephalosporanic acid (7-ADCA). Recently new routes have been developed which allow for the production of adipyl-7-ADCA by a novel fermentation process. To complete the biosynthesis of 7-ADCAa highly active adipyl acylase is needed for deacylation of the adipyl derivative. Such an adipyl acylase can be generated from known glu-taryl acylases.