BRAIN and Bayer Schering Pharma co-operate on biotechnological steroid-production

04-Feb-2010 - Germany

BRAIN AG and Bayer Schering Pharma AG co-operate in the field of production process optimisation of steroid compounds. The goal of the collaboration is the energy-efficient and thus sustainable fermentative production of steroid compounds using optimised microbial production strains taking plant derived raw materials as starting material.

Plants and their containing steroidal components represent an economic and sustainable source of pharmaceutical raw material and intermediates. Today, for further optimisation of the steroidal intermediates, besides chemical methods more and more microbial processes as whole cell biocatalyst reactors are being used.

Within the strategic collaboration published today, existing production processes will be optimised using highly developed micro-organisms. With these so-called “designer bugs” it is the goal, to achieve a higher yield by a reduced energy input. This will lead to an increase of efficiency in the production process coupled to a reduction of the output of green house gases.

„On a long term as a company we can only be successful, when our economic action is in line with the social interests of man and the ecological needs of our period”, stated Dr. Wolfgang Plischke, responsible for innovation, technology and environment within the managing board of Bayer AG. „Here the optimisation of our production processes to better energy efficiencies is the focus of our research and development activities. Within the complete corporation through the optimisation of our processes we expect a reduction of the green house gas emissions of round about 10 percent“.

https://www.bionity.com/en/news/112762/brain-and-bayer-schering-pharma-co-operate-on-biotechnological-steroid-production.html