An innovative bio-based platform for the cost-competitive production of L-fucose, a building block for Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs).

Project Information

FucoPol

Grant agreement ID: 783868

DOI

10.3030/783868

Project closed

EC signature date 16 October 2017

Start date 1 October 2017

End date 30 September 2020

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine, maritime and inland water research, and the bioeconomy

Total cost

€ 1 881 707,50

EU contribution

€ 1 317 195,25

Coordinated by

SETENTA E TRES MIL E CEM LDA
Portugal

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - FucoPol (An innovative bio-based platform for the cost-competitive production of L-fucose, a building blockfor Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs).)

Reporting period: 2019-10-01 to 2020-09-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Currently a large scale production of HMOs is not feasible due to the complexity and costs related to increasing availability of L-fucose. 73100 has developed and patented a novel bacterial biopolymer - FucoPol - as a natural source for the efficient and cost-competitive production of pure L-fucose. The main objective of the project is to demonstrate and validate the scalability of the platform, proving its usefulness for industrial-scale production.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The project carried out has been entirely based on the company's own IP, generated during its product development. The R&D activities for optimization of FucoPol production and downstream processes were completed and were developed at 73100’s laboratory facility located at FCT-UNL Chemistry Department. The pilot 200L fermentation stage was successfully completed at BIOTREND. The 1m3 scale-up fermentation trial was successfully completed at CIPAN during the Year 2 of the project’s Phase II. The latest step towards industrial scale production of 30 m3 occurred in Year 3 at CIPAN and the entire campaign was completed with success, allowing to produce kilograms of L-Fucose.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

73100 is set to become the world’s first large scale L-fucose producer. Current technologies are hindered by the complexity and costs related to the attempt to increase the availability of the core component, L-fucose. The innovative technology – on which the FucoPol production is based – entails its use as a natural platform to generate pure carbohydrates (fucose, galactose, glucose and glucuronic acid), either in mixtures with defined composition or as individual monosaccharides. Depending on the application of L-fucose, 73100 has the potential to sell to several different customer types. 73100 have identified the most desired applications for FucoPol derived products, mainly L-fucose, and have identified companies engaged in chemical synthesis for HMO’s, manufacturing of prebiotic food/beverages, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. 73100 has the potential to first sell to chemical reagent distributors in Europe and North America. 73100 expects rapid growth once commercialized and increased profitability as their product is sold for new HMO applications (e.g. as a novel food ingredient). 73100 also has the potential to address relevant challenges faced by many European societies – mainly related to providing an adequate supply for high-quality food while enhancing innovation and sustainability in the production processes. In fact, glycoscience in Europe is fast becoming an essential part of modern innovative biotechnology and having access to state-of-the-art knowledge and technologies in this sector will provide the European bio-based industries with a strong competitive advantage on a worldwide stage.

FucoPol Scale-up

FucoPol Fermentation

CPhi 2018