Codexis, Cargill Claim Chemical Breakthrough

INDUSTRIAL BIOTECH

Although the focus of BIO 2005 was pharmaceutical, biotechnology is being applied to the chemical industry as well. In Philadelphia last week, Codexis and Cargill announced that they have reached a key milestone in their joint effort to develop a biotech route to 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3HP), a chemical intermediate. They did not disclose details of the achievement.

The two firms began collaborating in May 2003 to further develop a Cargill dextrose-fermentation process with Codexis' industrial process reengineering technology. The program also received a grant from the Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy.

The companies are now negotiating to extend and expand their original agreement. Tassos Gianakakos, senior vice president for business development at Codexis, expects that it will take another one to two years for the process to reach commercial viability.

Potentially, 3HP could be used as an intermediate to make acrylic acid, acrylamide, and 1,3-propanediol. "This breakthrough is going to shake up the chemical industry, and it will help U.S. companies that adopt it to be more competitive in the global marketplace," said Brent Erickson, executive vice president for BIO's Industrial & Environmental Section.

Development of 3HP is part of a larger industrial chemistry push at Cargill. Earlier this year, it bought out Dow Chemical's interest in Cargill Dow, a joint venture that makes polylactic acid polymers.

Also last week, Codexis CEO Alan Shaw was appointed chairman of BIO's new industrial and environmental section.