Danisco teams up with biotech firm

Genencor will use its extensive capabilities in metabolic pathway engineering
and bio-manufacturing of industrial bio-products and BRAIN AG’s world leading
expertise in the fields of metagenomics and screening technologies, to pursue
product targets for the chemical industry.

BRAIN will provide Genencor
access to these technologies and especially to its vast metagenome resources of
some 150 million genes of yet uncultured microorganisms. Enzymes and
biosynthetic pathways of interest will then be genetically engineered in
microbial production strains for the production of important biochemicals. The
products can replace petrochemicals and be used in e.g. biofuels, plastics,
rubber, adhesives and cosmetics.

This new collaboration announced today
expands upon the successful collaboration first established in 2004, where the
two companies joined forces to develop a new enzyme product platform.

For
BRAIN, the collaboration is also an important milestone in the company’s
strategy of further expanding its strategic partnerships with globally
successful partners from the biochemical industry, thereby strengthening the
industrial network at its disposal and ensuring increased support for future
projects.

For Genencor, “the field of innovative biochemicals offers a
significant new opportunity for business growth and the strategic application of
our core competency in the design and operation of cell factories”, explains Dr.
Karl Sanford, Vice President Technology Development at Genencor. “BRAIN’s
capabilities and expertise in metagenomic enzyme discovery fits nicely within
our model for open innovation where we look to make the transition from bench to
market more effective and efficient.”