Periodic Reporting for period 2 - BioBAA (Disruptive platform for sustainable and low-cost amino acid production)
Reporting period: 2021-12-01 to 2023-05-31
The target for this project was to enable more environmentally friendly and effective production of two commercially important Amino Acids (AA’s) used in food, feed, cosmetics, and pharma products. The products on the market today have severe limitations regarding their production’s environmental and economic sustainability, and they are currently limited in use compared to many other AA’s. These limitations restrict their growth and market potential, and their prevailing fossil fuel dependant and organic chemical-based production methods have large negative environmental impact. Supported by advanced patented-metabolic engineering and synthetic biology approaches Cysbio developed a biobased platform for AA production - AA-Platform - with an unprecedented environmental and economic performance. Through the design of proprietary cell factories, Cysbio was able to engineer the metabolic pathways involved in the production of one AA. From this product it is further possible to make a sustainable and simple bioconversion into the other AA thereby allowing a novel and effective production methods also for this AA. These production strains have been further perfected to reach the desired cost targets allowing price levels that will compete adequately and lead to broader use of these AA’s. At the same time this fermentation based biological production is based on renewable carbon sugars like glucose or even some waste materials making this well in line with green transition away from fossil-based dependency. Based on these novel cell factories production has already begun, and both products will be commercially available from 2024. Building from these strong value propositions, this innovative platform yields a significant advantage against competitors’ products and will radically change the market towards more sustainable products. During the project Cysbio have also demonstrated the applicability of one AA to be used as an effective feed additive in feed, and new data through clinical trials and subsequent IP is being generated for the use of the other AA to improve health of people suffering from currently untreatable diseases. This will open two new markets for these AA’s. Cysbio is currently a small and agile company, whose business strategy is to move quickly into the market by seeking more sustainable and cost-effective production methods using modern genetic tools to create novel cell factories that can make desired biochemicals through fermentation using renewable carbon sources. The BioBAA project is at the core of Cysbio’s strategy, and the project has concluded successfully for both production and application targets allowing the global availability of cost competitive and environmentally friendly products to be used in this constantly expanding multibillion EUR AA industry.
We can proudly report that the BioBAA project reached all the important milestones and results as originally planned. A few elements were delayed and/or achieved by other means (like REACH and LCA), but the most critical parts like production cost targets and strain engineering have allowed Cysbio and partners to proceed to scaleup and establishment of production facilities. This also means that the original business plan still remains in place, the sales and profit projections are of the same magnitude and the go to market plans and penetration timings are also still the same as projected for this Horizon 2020 grant application.
From 2023 one AA is produced and already now sold in Asia, and soon also in the US and Europe. The other main AA and a derivative hereof will be produced and sold as of 2024 globally. The environmental benefits of the fermentation-based AA-production will deliver the desired contributions by reduced CO2 imprint and by reducing the use of fossil fuels and polluting chemicals, achieved by replacing existing more expensive, less effectively produced and fossil dependent versions of these AA products. Not just because they are more desirable from an environmental perspective, but because they can be produced at competitive cost levels. The long-term perspective (3-4 years out) of enabling the effective and cost-effective production of these two AA’s will have potential of far bigger nature, when they can be used in many new applications, new product derivatives for new and existing markets. This is Cysbio’s ambition, and so far, we are on track for this great vision.
The project had 4 key objectives that when reached through the WP’s would allow the successful production and market introduction of the two AA’s into both the existing markets for these two products as well as to allow the use within some new attractive large markets for feed additives and for food supplements. These results would then be communicated at appropriate events, contacts, and articles to make stakeholders aware. All WP’s concluded successfully and allows the production and launch of both products at the planned time and the business plan projections remain realistic and reachable in both time and magnitude. All main targets have been achieved as planned and projected for the BioBAA project.
• Strain productivity targets have been reached as planned in terms of titer and yield enabling the desired cost per kg of product in the final production.
• Documentation that one AA can be used to replace other feed additives with no negative impact on growth and health for the animals. This will allow the big target to replace a fossil based and polluting chemical with a biobased alternative with a much better environmental profile and reduced CO2 imprint.
• Clinical trials were implemented and concluded positively, supporting the use of one of the AA’s to be used as dietary supplement to improve health for people suffering from an important lifestyle disease that impacts 20 % of all people on the planet.
• REACH will be in place for both AA’s upon launch in Europe. One product is launched in Asia in 2023, and the other will be launched in 2024. In Europe launch is planned for 2024 for both products.
• Sales training and communication ready for product launch
• Projection of sales to reach above 50MEUR by 2029.
From 2023 one AA is produced and already now sold in Asia, and soon also in the US and Europe. The other main AA and a derivative hereof will be produced and sold as of 2024 globally. The environmental benefits of the fermentation-based AA-production will deliver the desired contributions by reduced CO2 imprint and by reducing the use of fossil fuels and polluting chemicals, achieved by replacing existing more expensive, less effectively produced and fossil dependent versions of these AA products. Not just because they are more desirable from an environmental perspective, but because they can be produced at competitive cost levels. The long-term perspective (3-4 years out) of enabling the effective and cost-effective production of these two AA’s will have potential of far bigger nature, when they can be used in many new applications, new product derivatives for new and existing markets. This is Cysbio’s ambition, and so far, we are on track for this great vision.
The project had 4 key objectives that when reached through the WP’s would allow the successful production and market introduction of the two AA’s into both the existing markets for these two products as well as to allow the use within some new attractive large markets for feed additives and for food supplements. These results would then be communicated at appropriate events, contacts, and articles to make stakeholders aware. All WP’s concluded successfully and allows the production and launch of both products at the planned time and the business plan projections remain realistic and reachable in both time and magnitude. All main targets have been achieved as planned and projected for the BioBAA project.
• Strain productivity targets have been reached as planned in terms of titer and yield enabling the desired cost per kg of product in the final production.
• Documentation that one AA can be used to replace other feed additives with no negative impact on growth and health for the animals. This will allow the big target to replace a fossil based and polluting chemical with a biobased alternative with a much better environmental profile and reduced CO2 imprint.
• Clinical trials were implemented and concluded positively, supporting the use of one of the AA’s to be used as dietary supplement to improve health for people suffering from an important lifestyle disease that impacts 20 % of all people on the planet.
• REACH will be in place for both AA’s upon launch in Europe. One product is launched in Asia in 2023, and the other will be launched in 2024. In Europe launch is planned for 2024 for both products.
• Sales training and communication ready for product launch
• Projection of sales to reach above 50MEUR by 2029.
The BioBAA project has been critically important to fast track the launch of Cysbio’s two AA’s and to reach competitive cost positions of these important products. During the project several stakeholders have indicated strong interest in working with Cysbio to use the more sustainable fermentation based bioproducts that the Cysbio created AA’s represent. When one of the AA’s can be produced at low enough cost, it will have a future as key component to make replacement products within several industries. Partners and future customers already express great interest to purchase and use these new products.
The target under BioBAA was to enable the broader use of some AA’s with currently small markets, by establishing alternative and effective production methods. Through this project we have accelerated the journey to find ways to make these AA’s in alternative ways, thereby making them more commercially attractive while produced more sustainable.
The impact for society is both bigger availability of some key raw materials, reduction of fossil-based products and reduced Co2 emissions and not least creation og a big business that will result in more jobs and opportunities in Europe and globally.
The target under BioBAA was to enable the broader use of some AA’s with currently small markets, by establishing alternative and effective production methods. Through this project we have accelerated the journey to find ways to make these AA’s in alternative ways, thereby making them more commercially attractive while produced more sustainable.
The impact for society is both bigger availability of some key raw materials, reduction of fossil-based products and reduced Co2 emissions and not least creation og a big business that will result in more jobs and opportunities in Europe and globally.