ISOBIONICS AT CHEMELOT
[BIZ/SCI-TECH: Geleen, March 27] Toine Janssen, Isobionics’ CEO, has had a distinguished business career and also made a major contribution to the public image of Kazakhstan, before the advent of Borat, of course. He has taken advantage of Chemelot’s open innovation policy, which allows external business to come in, to make use of locally available technologies and look around for funding. In this case, a EUR 5.5m investment for a two-year development was required, EUR 2.5m was produced from venture capital sources and further funding drew on subsidies, credits (see below) and on Mr. Janssen himself. Isobionics focuses on flavor and fragrance production, using fermentation. Its final products are isoprenoids; these are probably the most diverse and largest family of natural products and include many important drugs, valuable flavor and fragrance compounds, as well as pigments, antioxidants and steroids. The first product on the production line will be valencene, or citrus aroma, currently distilled from orange peels, making it relatively expensive. Valencene is biosynthesized from Farnesyl pyrophosphate by terpene cyclase enzyme. The current method of production is labor intensive, energy intensive and dependents on seasonal influences. The new production process will enable improved and consistent quality, with a higher level of purity at a lower cost. DSM has a great deal of knowledge of products and processes, but does not want to be solely responsible for implementation. DSM offers scope for initiatives by other parties prepared to add value to DSM, in this area. Isobionics makes use of patented DSM knowledge in the field of biotechnology. It’s unique in that it is the first company to have been formed on this basis. Isobionics expects it will be able to offer the citrus aroma to soft drinks and detergent manufacturers, by way of example, within two years. That will make Isobionics the first Dutch producer of this aroma. After that, Isobionics will bring other aromas, such as pineapple, strawberry or menthol, on to the market.
Isobionics, which comes from the nutrition sector, is a new company, whose activities exemplify the optimal use of Chemelot’s campus function. See our webcast and listen to Frank Schaap in this connection (http://www.meuse-rhine-journal.com/webcast_04.html).
The new company has secured a broad financing base. Venture capital in the form of shares and subordinated loans has been made available by the Limburg Development Company LIOF, Limburg Ventures and TechnoStars.
http://www.chemelot.nl/