Verdezyne will use its suite of metabolic engineering tools to introduce a proprietary pathway into an industrial yeast strain provided by Lallemand. According to the companies, the enhanced yeast will produce more ethanol per unit of glucose compared with currently available strains.
Lallemand will be responsible for process development, manufacturing and global commercialization of the novel yeast. Under the terms of the agreement, Verdezyne will receive patent license fees and royalty payments.
William Radany, president and CEO of Verdezyne, said: “Verdezyne is excited about this partnership, and we are looking forward to a highly productive collaboration with Lallemand, a global leader in fermentation technology. We are confident that our combined efforts will allow us to accelerate development and commercialization of this innovative yeast.”
Bill Nankervis, president of Lallemand Specialties and general manager of Lallemand Ethanol Technology, said: “We believe Verdezyne is the right partner to develop an enhanced yeast with properties that are very desirable to today’s ethanol producers. This agreement represents a commitment on behalf of Verdezyne and Lallemand to provide a superior yeast that will deliver improved profitability and sustainability to our customers.”
