Aegle Therapeutics | October 06, 2020
Aegle Therapeutics Corporation, a first-in-class biotechnology company committed to delivering cell-free therapy to patients affected by severe dermatological conditions, today announced that the FDA has granted Rare Pediatric Disease (RPD) Designation to AGLE-102™ for the treatment of dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (DEB), a skin blistering disorder. AGLE-102 is a composite of mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles that deliver proteins, genetic material and regenerative healing factors to diseased and damaged tissue. "The FDA's grant of Rare Pediatric Disease designation following its earlier grant of Fast Track Designation to AGLE-102 for DEB underscores the significant unmet medical need of children and adults living with this debilitating disease. AGLE-102 has the potential to be the first multifaceted approach to treat this rare patient population," said Shelley Hartman, CEO of Aegle Therapeutics. The FDA grants Rare Pediatric Disease designation for diseases that primarily affect children ages 18 years or younger and fewer than 200,000 persons in the U.S. If Aegle's new drug application ("NDA") for DEB is approved, Aegle may receive a priority review voucher from the FDA, which can be redeemed to obtain priority review for any subsequent marketing application or may be sold to another company for their programs.
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BGN Technologies | November 05, 2020
BGN Technologies, the technology transfer company of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU), announced today that it had signed a research collaboration agreement with ECOIBÉRIA in the field of plastic recycling by bacteria, based on research from the team of Prof. Ariel Kushmaro and Prof. Alex Sivan, both from the Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology and Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering at BGU. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is the most abundantly used polymer in the world, with multiple applications in the textile industry as well as in food and beverage packaging. It is estimated that about 56 million tons of PET are produced yearly worldwide, mostly as single use packaging material. Therefore, intense efforts are directed towards recycling and reuse of the PET plastic materials. Prof.'s Kushmaro and Sivan and their team have been studying plastic biodegradation and have discovered several bacteria species that are able to biodegrade polyethylene, which was previously considered a non-biodegradable plastic mainly because of the highly stable carbon−carbon (C−C) bonds of the polymer backbone. Based on these findings, the research collaboration project will assess the biodegradation of PET by previously identified bacteria as well as novel ones, with the aim of developing an efficient biodegradation process of PET whose products will be used as raw materials for recycled PET in the future.
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INDUSTRIAL IMPACT
ADM | October 22, 2021
ADM a global leader in nutrition and agricultural origination and processing, annoThis investment will help ADM more quickly advance projects in the field of precision microbial fermentation by leveraging Acies Bio’s extensive microbial capabilities and contract manufacturing services.
“Microbial technology is unlocking disruptive opportunities in sustainable agriculture, sustainable materials and fuels, and alternative proteins, We’re propelling growth opportunities by working with innovators who appreciate our unique combination of expertise, capacity and access to feedstocks. Now, by investing to become a minority owner in Acies Bio, we’re opening up the door to new collaboration with an innovative, complementary business to meet the growing demand for products developed via microbial fermentation.”
Ian Pinner, ADM chief strategy and innovation officer.
Founded in 2006, Acies Bio develops innovative, proprietary microbial and synthetic biology-based platforms and technologies and also offers contract R&D services in microbial strain engineering and fermentation for customers in key growth segments, including sustainable agriculture, functional foods and bio-based industrial chemicals.
“Acies Bio’s core mission is to use the nearly unlimited power of microbial diversity to drive disruptive innovation and help create a more sustainable bio-based future,” said Enej Kuščer, Acies Bio's co-founder and director. “This strategic partnership with ADM will allow Acies Bio to expand and accelerate the development of our platform technologies, which aim to replace synthetic chemicals and the often carbon-intensive production currently used in food and agriculture with microbial, bio-based products.”
“This investment from ADM will also allow Acies Bio to expand our infrastructure and increase the high-throughput capabilities of our SmartRoute platform, which will allow faster development of new technologies and products,” said Štefan Fujs, Acies Bio's co-founder and director. “This will speed-up the internal pipeline and also help us deliver more quality services to our partners and collaborators.”
ADM’s investment in Acies Bio is being made through ADM Ventures, the company’s corporate venture capital arm. ADM Ventures invests in cutting-edge start-ups with disruptive technologies across three key areas: human nutrition, animal nutrition and sustainability. ADM Ventures also seeks startups that utilize ADM’s assets and feedstocks to produce sustainable materials, in addition to technologies that enhance the effectiveness or efficiency of ADM’s operations.
About Acies Bio
Acies Bio is a leading European microbial biotechnology company that develops new bioproducts and sustainable production processes for diverse industrial sectors, including pharma, food/feed, agricultural, and industrial biotechnology. With an emphasis on sustainability and using Acies Bio’s unique SmartRoute microbial platform, including synthetic biology and strain engineering, high-throughput screening, precision bioprocess and downstream development, the company has successfully developed and scaled numerous innovative products and precision fermentation technologies with industrial partners worldwide.
About ADM
At ADM, we unlock the power of nature to provide access to nutrition worldwide. With industry-advancing innovations, a complete portfolio of ingredients and solutions to meet any taste, and a commitment to sustainability, we give customers an edge in solving the nutritional challenges of today and tomorrow. We’re a global leader in human and animal nutrition and the world’s premier agricultural origination and processing company. Our breadth, depth, insights, facilities and logistical expertise give us unparalleled capabilities to meet needs for food, beverages, health and wellness, and more. From the seed of the idea to the outcome of the solution, we enrich the quality of life the world over.
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