Business Roundup

Clariant has acquired Aerochem, a Swedish supplier of deicing fluids to the aviation and rail industries in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. Aerochem, which markets Clariant deicing fluids, has annual sales of about $23 million.

Stepan has sold its polyurethanes systems business to J6 Polymers for an undisclosed sum. The business generated sales last year of about $2.8 million.

Calysta, a gas fermentation start-up, has raised $10 million in a second round of venture funding led by Walden Riverwood Ventures. Calysta’s technology uses microbes to convert methane into proteins for aquaculture as well as chemicals such as esters, oxides, and olefins.

Evocatal, an enzyme technology firm, has bought a majority stake in the carbohydrate producer Aevotis, created through a 2009 buyout of Bayer BioScience. The two German firms will continue to develop enzymes for converting waste and other raw materials into carbohydrate oligomers and polymers for food and health applications.

Frontier Scientific, a manufacturer of boronic acids and other specialty chemicals, has acquired the entomology division of Bio-Serv for an undisclosed sum. Frontier says Bio-Serv’s insect-rearing supplies and diets business will mesh with its current business in insect-related products for agricultural chemical research.

Quinpario Acquisition 2 plans to raise up to $450 million in an initial public offering of shares. The money will be used to acquire specialty chemical and performance materials businesses. QA2 was launched by Quinpario, which is led by former Solutia CEO Jeffry N. Quinn. QA1 raised $173 million in 2013.

Albany Molecular Research Inc. has won a 10-year drug development and manufacturing service contract from the National Institutes of Health worth up to $37 million. AMRI will provide pharmaceutical chemical manufacturing, formulation, and other services to an NIH neurological disease program.

Evolva, a Swiss firm that makes flavor and nutritional compounds via fermentation, will work with Cargill to develop a process for an undisclosed family of food and beverage ingredients. The two firms first partnered in March 2013 on a fermentation pathway to noncaloric sweeteners based on molecules of the stevia plant.

Celgene will collaborate with Vancouver-based Zymeworks to research and develop bispecific antibodies enabled by Zymeworks’ Azymetric technology. Zymeworks is eligible to receive up to $164 million per therapeutic candidate.