Flash News from ABLC 2014: Verdezyne reaches key production milestone
Produces More Than One Metric Ton of Bio-Based Dodecanedioic Acid, Expediting Path to Commercialization
In California, Verdezyne announced that it has produced more than one metric ton of bio-based dodecanedioic acid (DDDA) using its proprietary yeast platform and downstream process. The Michigan Biotechnology Institute (MBI) and the Michigan State University (MSU) Bioeconomy Institute (BEI) worked with Verdezyne to run the bio-based DDDA process at the 4,000-liter scale. This production confirmed the scalability of Verdezyne’s process and produced polymer-grade material for potential customers and partners.
The Michigan Biotechnology Institute (MBI) running Verdezyne’s DDDA fermentation. President Barack Obama, center, and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, second from left, listen during a tour of MBI in Lansing, Mich., Friday, Feb. 7, 2014. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
“Technology transfer to MSU (MBI/BEI) and scale-up of our process was seamless, and exceeded our expectations,” said José M. Laplaza, Ph.D., Verdezyne’s Director of Metabolic Engineering and DDDA Program Manager. “This is a testament to the strong technology team we have assembled at Verdezyne, the expertise of the MSU (MBI/BEI) staff and the robustness of our proprietary process.”
Dodecanedioic acid is a dicarboxylic acid used to make nylon 6,12, molding resins, lubricants, adhesives, and powder coatings, as well as end products such as fishing line, toothbrush bristles and fuel lines. This industrial chemical is currently made from petroleum-based intermediates.
“Michigan State University and the MSU Bioeconomy Institute are committed to providing regional, state and national support for innovative and green process development,” said William Freckman, Director of Operations of the MSU Bioeconomy Institute. “We are pleased to provide scale-up services for Verdezyne’s emerging technology.”
“MBI is proud to have been able to assist the Verdezyne team in their efforts to develop and scale-up this important new technology, and we wish them great success as they move to commercialization,” said Allen Julian, Chief Business Officer of MBI.
Verdezyne is an industrial biotechnology company using proven and proprietary metabolic pathway engineering tools to develop unique yeast strains for cost-effective production of bio-based chemicals. Current investors in Verdezyne include BP Alternative Energy Ventures, DSM Venturing B.V., OVP Venture Partners and Monitor Ventures.
MBI is a not-for-profit company with 30 years of experience in derisking and scaling up bio-based technologies, with capabilities in biomass processing, strain and fermentation development and downstream processing at bench and pilot scale. www.mbi.org
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