DEINOVE
French biotech group succeeds at producing chemical intermediate muconic acid from cellulosic material / Technology uses Deinococcus bacteria / Feedstock for caprolactam, PTA and adipic acid
French biotech company Deinove (Grabels; www.deinove.com) is making huge strides in producing muconic acid – an intermediate for caprolactam, PTA and adipic acid – by using the Deinococcus bacteria. After first unveiling the programme in late July this year, the company in September obtained proof of concept for turning second-generation cellulosic materials into muconic acid. Thanks to improvements made to the bacterial strains, Deinove is now also able to multiply output by five compared to earlier trials that use monosaccharide-based substrates glucose and xylose.
Rather than using benzene and cyclohexane as feedstocks – both of which are non-sustainable and subject to extensive price fluctuations – Deinove uses a variety of bio-based alternatives, such as renewable sugars, that through the addition of a specially designed Deinococcus bacterium can produce renewable muconic acid.
The French company claims to be the world’s only firm designing and developing production processes based on so-called “deinotechnologies”, which date back to 2012 when a Deinove bacterium for the first time turned wheat-based sugars into ethanol in a single operation, without using any additives such as enzymes or yeast. Since then, the company has embarked on four different research tracks – “Deinol”, focused on second-generation biofuels; “”Deinochem”, specialised in industrial-scale biochemical compounds; “Deinobiotics”, focused on developing new antibiotics; and “Thanaplast”, specialised in producing enzymes for the remediation of plastics.
“We have presented the platform to several chemical industrialists who have been following our project with great interest,” Deinove CEO Emmanuel Petiot said, commenting on the latest research breakthrough using second-generation materials. Established in 2006, Deinove went public in 2010, and raised EUR 12m for its research.
Deinove posted an annual net loss of EUR 6.5m in 2014 – up from a loss of EUR 3.4m in 2013. The result was largely thanks to non-recurring items and a rise in operating expenses associated with R&D and pre-industrial progress. The group also received first revenues from its collaboration agreements. Given its progress to date, Deinove expects to see the first revenues from its technology by 2016.
Rather than using benzene and cyclohexane as feedstocks – both of which are non-sustainable and subject to extensive price fluctuations – Deinove uses a variety of bio-based alternatives, such as renewable sugars, that through the addition of a specially designed Deinococcus bacterium can produce renewable muconic acid.
The French company claims to be the world’s only firm designing and developing production processes based on so-called “deinotechnologies”, which date back to 2012 when a Deinove bacterium for the first time turned wheat-based sugars into ethanol in a single operation, without using any additives such as enzymes or yeast. Since then, the company has embarked on four different research tracks – “Deinol”, focused on second-generation biofuels; “”Deinochem”, specialised in industrial-scale biochemical compounds; “Deinobiotics”, focused on developing new antibiotics; and “Thanaplast”, specialised in producing enzymes for the remediation of plastics.
“We have presented the platform to several chemical industrialists who have been following our project with great interest,” Deinove CEO Emmanuel Petiot said, commenting on the latest research breakthrough using second-generation materials. Established in 2006, Deinove went public in 2010, and raised EUR 12m for its research.
Deinove posted an annual net loss of EUR 6.5m in 2014 – up from a loss of EUR 3.4m in 2013. The result was largely thanks to non-recurring items and a rise in operating expenses associated with R&D and pre-industrial progress. The group also received first revenues from its collaboration agreements. Given its progress to date, Deinove expects to see the first revenues from its technology by 2016.
10.09.2015 Plasteurope.com [232166-0]
Published on 10.09.2015