Developing and commercializing our own products
Microbia PE designs microbes for the cost-effective biomanufacturing of products from renewable resources. This technology is applicable to a wide array of product opportunities that will be commercialized both on our own and through strategic alliances. Our first product offerings will be carotenoids, which are representative of a broad class of fat-loving chemicals based on the 5-carbon isoprene structure. Commonly found in nature, these chemicals have traditionally been manufactured from petrochemical-derived raw materials. Current commercial applications for isoprenoids include natural flavor and aroma compounds, nutritional supplements, pharmaceutical intermediates, and a variety of industrial chemicals. In addition to these already developed uses, newer applications under development include high octane biofuels and other industrial chemicals such as rubber substitutes.
For carotenoids, our technical objective was to develop a microbial process that would be sufficiently robust for large scale commercial fermentations, while possessing the high intracellular product levels found in naturally-occurring photosynthetic algae. Microbia PE's metabolic engineering capabilities have enabled a novel yeast-based fermentation process that makes a natural product. Unlike current carotenoid manufacturers that employ chemical synthesis, our products are not derived from petrochemicals, but are based on renewable raw materials such as sugar. We are now positioned to offer customers a cost-effective source of multiple carotenoids, including β-carotene and canthaxanthin, made from renewable resources.
Similar metabolic engineering approaches are currently being applied to the advancement of additional products. Our pipeline includes both cost-effective and renewably-sourced replacements of existing products and entirely new fermentation-based materials.
The photographs below demonstrate efficient intracellular accumulation of both β-carotene and canthaxanthin compared to the parent strain
