Advanced Genetic Approach Produces Acrylic from Biomass

Genetic modification moves to a new level with a technology to produce bioacrylic under development by OPX Biotechnologies, Boulder, CO. Since beginning pilot scale development in 2009, the company says it has reduced bioacrylic production cost by 85 percent. The target price  is $0.50 per pound.

Its proprietary technology, called EDGE (Efficiency Directed Genome Engineering), is said to rapidly develop a microbe and bioprocess. OPX generates mutations that track genes responsible for performance changes.  OPX researchers then select genetic changes from a variety of randomly created strains and combine them. OPX claims its technology is 1,000 to 5,000 times faster than conventional genetic engineering methods. Biomass and other feedstocks are used.

OPX has retained Merrick & Company to design its demonstration and commercial manufacturing plants, which are scheduled to become operational in 2011 and 2013, respectively.