Pioneers of the Green Fuel Revolution

In a collaboration, Ingenza and Phibro Ethanol, a subsidiary of Phibro Animal Health Corporation, have come together to engineer a groundbreaking yeast strain that promises to enhance the production of bioethanol, even under challenging environmental conditions. This innovative leap forward strengthens the momentum behind the transition to cleaner, greener biofuels. The partnership, is poised to make a substantial impact by increasing the availability of this valuable natural resource for sustainable fuel production across various industries.

In the United States, bioethanol is predominantly produced by fermenting corn-based biomass using yeast. This process necessitates the addition of large amounts of enzymes, including glucoamylase (GA), to make the glucose in the feedstock accessible to the yeast. Furthermore, the elevated temperatures generated during production can strain the yeast, leading to diminished fermentation performance and, subsequently, lower ethanol yields.

Ingenza and Phibro teamed up to address this challenge, leading to the introduction of KinetX® yeast solutions. This innovative yeast strain exhibits exceptional heat tolerance, secreting GA throughout both growth and fermentation phases. It was developed using Ingenza's proprietary strain construction and adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) platforms. This yeast strain offers heightened resilience and reliability at elevated temperatures, significantly reducing the need for GA supplementation compared to traditional yeast strains. This translates into substantial financial benefits for bioethanol producers. The KinetX portfolio will soon introduce additional next-generation yeast strains to the global market, complemented by other programs that incorporate novel technologies to achieve even higher bioethanol yields.

Dr. Leonardo Magneschi, Head of Molecular Biology at Ingenza, emphasized the importance of improving bioethanol production efficiency, stating, "Enhancing the efficiency of bioethanol production is pivotal in making biofuels a commercially viable and sustainable alternative to the fossil fuels we currently depend on. We are deeply committed to Phibro's objectives, and we are confident that our ongoing partnership will play a leading role in reducing the carbon footprint of the transportation sector, contributing to global sustainability goals."

Dr. Stephanie Gleason, Director of Technology at Phibro, lauded Ingenza's expertise in custom strain development, ALE, high throughput screening, and technology transfer, which have been instrumental in successfully implementing and scaling their industry-leading products. She expressed excitement about the prospects of further collaborations with Ingenza, aiming to introduce additional innovations that will bolster the worldwide shift toward eco-friendly, bio-based fuels.