Glycos Biotechnologies and Solix BioSystems report positive results from early stage R&D collaboration on algal oils
20 August 2011
Glycos Biotechnologies, Inc. (GlycosBio), an international biochemical company commercializing high-value biochemicals, and Solix BioSystems, Inc. (Solix), a provider of integrated solutions and services that enable large scale cultivation of algae, announced their early stage research and development collaboration has yielded positive results. These preliminary experiments demonstrated the potential for Solix’s algae oil to be converted into a range of valuable specialty chemicals through GlycosBio’s suite of proprietary biocatalysts.
GlycosBio has a specific interest in synthetic rubber intermediates including bio-derived isoprene.
Solix’s crude algal oil was found to be non-toxic and easily metabolized and upgraded by GlycosBio’s proprietary biocatalysts. Based on the successful production of ethanol from the oil, additional studies are planned to convert the oil to other higher value chemicals.
The tests were conducted at GlycosBio’s research facilities in Houston and led by Dr. Daniel J. Monticello, the company’s Vice President of Research and Development.
Upgrading sustainable, non-food, renewable carbon sources like Solix’s algal oil is a central element of GlycosBio’s feedstock diversity and technology strategy. It appears the potential range of chemical intermediate products that can be produced from this algal oil is vast. Converting next generation feedstocks, such as algae-derived fatty acids, is a key dimension of GlycosBio’s long term value creation plan and aligns well with our near term commercial projects in Asia, North America and Europe. More broadly this class of feedstock is important for the entire industry.
—Daniel Monticello
Glycos Biotechnologies, Inc. is an international biochemical company commercializing advanced metabolic engineering and microbial strain processes that convert multiple low value feedstocks into a range of high value sustainable chemicals. Solix BioSystems, Inc. is a developer of algae production technology designed to generate algal biocrude and other algal products on an industrial scale.
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