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CARLSBAD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 21, 2014--Verdezyne, Inc., a privately-held industrial biotechnology company focused on producing renewable chemicals, announced today 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.
About Verdezyne
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. For more information, visit www.verdezyne.com.
About MBI
MBI is a not-for-profit company with 30 years of experience in derisking and scaling up bio-based technologies. Incorporated in 1981, MBI has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of the MSU Foundation since 2005. Capabilities include biomass processing, strain and fermentation development and downstream processing at bench and pilot scale. MBI has a history of successful collaborations with companies large and small, spanning bio-based fuels, chemicals and polymers. The company is also a collaborator with the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), a biofuels research initiative led by the University of Wisconsin and MSU. www.mbi.org
About MSU
Michigan State University has been working to advance the common good in uncommon ways for more than 150 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU focuses its vast resources on creating solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges, while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges. www.msu.edu
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CONTACT: Verdezyne:
Aida Yodites, 760-707-5200
Corporate Communications, Verdezyne, Inc.
2715 Loker Avenue West
Carlsbad, CA 92010
ayodites@verdezyne.com
or
Sparkpr
Bill Douglass, 646-504-0890
bdouglass@sparkpr.com
or
MBI:
Allen Julian, 517-336-4613
Chief Business Officer, MBI
julian@mbi.org
or
MSU:
Jason Cody, 517-432-0924
Media Communications
jason.cody@cabs.msu.edu
KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA CALIFORNIA MICHIGAN NEW YORK
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: EDUCATION UNIVERSITY TECHNOLOGY OTHER TECHNOLOGY HEALTH BIOTECHNOLOGY MANUFACTURING CHEMICALS/PLASTICS ENGINEERING
SOURCE: Verdezyne, Inc.
Copyright Business Wire 2014
PUB: 04/21/2014 08:00 AM/DISC: 04/21/2014 08:00 AM
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