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Metaraminol Demonstration Plant as Commercialisation Blueprint for Sustainable Production of Pharmaceuticals using Enzyme Cascades

Project description

Sustainable synthesis of amino alcohols using enzyme cascades

Amino alcohols and 2-hydroxy ketones represent valuable products for the chemical and pharmaceutical industry but are complicated to synthesise. Presently, these compounds are often produced in countries with poor working conditions and low safety and environmental standards. An innovative process already laid the base for a sustainable process, atomic and step-efficient enzymatic (2-steps) reaction for amino alcohols production from inexpensive starting materials. The ERC-funded SusECAS - DemoPlant aims to bring this innovative synthesis idea to the level of industrial application. A multi-gram demonstration plant will enable process evaluation, demonstrating the ecological and economic potential. The project will perform a systematic market analysis and develop a business plan for commercialisation and market introduction of the products and technology.

Objective

The development of more environmentally friendly synthesis methods is urgently needed if humanity wants to maintain an environment worth living in. The establishment of more biocatalytic steps in chemical synthesis is a possible solution, as enzymes and whole cells offer sustainable advantages such as biodegradability, toxicity, high selectivity and much more.
Amino alcohols and 2-hydroxy ketones are valuable compounds with various applications in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry with market prices >1000 /kg, but challenging synthesis strategies. As a result of synthesis options with disastrous footprints, these molecules are often produced in countries with poor working conditions and significantly lower safety and environmental standards than those accepted in the EU.
The idea of 'SusECAS - DemoPlant' is simple. An innovative economic and ecological competitive process will enable a sustainable production of amino alcohols in Europe. In the ERC Starting Grant project 'LightCas', Prof. Rother laid the base with an atomic and step-efficient enzymatic 2-step reaction for amino alcohols from inexpensive starting materials (<10-100 /kg). In 'SusECAS' we will take these innovative synthesis ideas to a new level of industrial application. A multi-gram demonstration plant will enable model-based process evaluation, giving us and our customers clear indications of the ecological and economic potential. A systematic market analysis will provide an overview of the competitive structure of the overall market, the market volume and the requirements of potential customers. Supported by business angels, commercialization strategies will be evaluated. In 'SusECAS', we will develop a business plan for commercialization and initiate a step-by-step market introduction of our products and technologies.

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

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HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept Grants

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) ERC-2022-POC2

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Host institution

FORSCHUNGSZENTRUM JULICH GMBH
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 150 000,00
Address
WILHELM JOHNEN STRASSE
52428 JULICH
Germany

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Region
Nordrhein-Westfalen Köln Düren
Activity type
Research Organisations
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Total cost

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Beneficiaries (1)

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