Business Roundup

DuPont says business disruptions from the crisis in Ukraine and unseasonably cold temperatures in North America could have a negative impact on its agricultural business in the first quarter. However, company officials continue to estimate that full-year 2014 earnings will be between $4.20 and $4.45 per share.

The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre has completed a review of the new automotive air-conditioning fluid hydrofluoroolefin-1234yf and determined that it is safe to use. Environmental groups and the automaker Daimler have charged that HFO-1234yf poses a fire hazard in the event of a car crash.

Gevo is licensing its renewable isobutyl alcohol technology to Porta Hnos, a 132-year-old Argentine maker of ethanol, liquor, and vinegar. Hnos, which will have full rights to the technology in Argentina, also builds ethanol plants for other companies.

Givaudan and China’s Zhejiang Xinhua Chemical will set up a joint venture to make fragrance ingredients in China. Givaudan, a Swiss formulator of flavors and fragrances, says ingredients now produced at its other sites will be transferred to the venture.

Cytec Industries has acquired an equity position in C-CON Holdings, a German firm that provides design and engineering services to the auto industry. The two will develop techniques for high-volume processing of carbon-fiber-reinforced polymers, which Cytec manufactures, for the auto market.

BASF has opened an R&D center in Thane, Navi Mumbai, India. Initially employing about 60 scientists, the center will focus on organic synthesis, process and formulation research, crop protection chemistry, and molecular modeling.

Bayer will spend more than $700 million at its sites in Wuppertal and Leverkusen, Germany, to build facilities for making two hemophilia drugs that are currently in Phase III clinical trials. Bayer says the investment will create a total of 500 new jobs at the sites by 2020.

Almac will add a secondary packaging facility to its Singapore clinical trial services operation by the end of 2014. The Northern Ireland-based company also provides clinical services in Asia from an operations hub in Japan.

Kythera Biopharmaceuticals has bought back Bayer’s rights to ATX-101, a synthetic version of deoxycholic acid used to reduce chin fat. Bayer will get $33 million in Kythera stock and a $51 million note due by 2024. Kythera plans to file a New Drug Application for ATX-101 in the second quarter.