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Technical Insights Advances in Biotechnology for the Manufacture of Chemicals, Part 1San Jose, Calif. – June 17, 2003 – Biotechnology advances are producing results in the production of commodity chemicals, such as ethanol, and specialty chemicals, such as pharmaceuticals and nutrients.
Genetic manipulation, for example, can often raise the efficiency of a biotechnological process while reducing the costs and environmental impact.
"Superior strains of microorganisms have been recently bred to provide higher productivity of a desired enzyme, greater thermal stability, or a speedier reaction time," says Technical Insights Analyst Michael Valenti.
It will certainly take some time to make products ranging from plastics to antidepressants using enzymatic instead of industrial synthetic methods, but biotransformation makes it a possibility.
Researchers at Wacker-Chemie GmbH in Germany have developed a fermentation process that avoids multi-step chemical synthesis and produces semi-synthetic L-amino acids. This process is more economical than traditional methods since it uses glucose, a relatively low-cost raw material.
The replacement of chemical synthesis by fermentation processes highlights the attractive potential of genetically modified organisms that can produce bioactive organo-fluorine compounds by fermentation.
This movement from chemical to biosynthetic processes is mainly because the latter can eliminate environmental concerns over the disposal of chemical processing wastes and increase product yield.
Solid-substrate fermentation to produce enzymes by reusing agricultural materials could represent another promising advancement due to cost reductions.
Large-scale commercial production of polymers made from lactic acid obtained by fermenting sugars from renewable sources could mean that other acids derived by the same process will become important building blocks for the chemical industry.
The acids are used in the production of polylactate plastics, lactate ester solvents, and other materials that are beginning to penetrate markets dominated by the petrochemicals industry.
New analysis by Technical Insights, a business unit of Frost & Sullivan (www.Technical-Insights.frost.com), Advances in Biotechnology for the Manufacture of Chemicals, Part 1, examines how emerging processes are advancing the production of specialty and commodity chemicals. It provides an overview of landmark discoveries and patents, and closely monitors promising markets for advanced biotechnology in pharmaceutical development and health sciences. This research service examines the alliances between academia, private industry, and governments that are combining talent, funding, and marketing to commercialize innovative biotech research.
Technical Insights will hold a conference call at 3:00 p.m. (EDT)/ 12:00 p.m. (PDT) on June 24, 2003 to provide a summary and analysis of the latest developments in biotechnology for the manufacture of chemicals. Those interested in participating in the call should send e-mail to Julia Paulson at jpaulson@frost.com with the following information for registration:
Full name, Company Name, Title, Contact Tel Number, Contact Fax Number, E-mail. Upon receipt of the above information, a confirmation/pass code for the live briefing will be e-mailed to you.
Frost & Sullivan is a global leader in strategic growth consulting. Acquired by Frost & Sullivan, Technical Insights is an international technology analysis business that produces a variety of technical news alerts, newsletters, reports, and research services. This ongoing growth opportunity analysis of emerging biotechnologies is covered in the Industrial Bioprocessing Alert, a Technical Insights subscription service. Technical Insights and Frost & Sullivan also offer custom growth consulting to a variety of national and international companies. Executive summaries and interviews are available to the press.
Advances in Biotechnology for the Manufacture of Chemicals, Part 1
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