CatchBio and Avantium had the same timing with their attention for biomass conversion, so participation seemed only logical. At the moment, Avantium's Ed De Jong sees a lot of benefits in this decision, but also still awaits a crucial step to be made.The commercialisation of high-throughput technology is the specialisation of Avantium in Amsterdam. It is all about quick and efficient screening of catalysts and the subsequent process optimization. “We started out as a services company, then turned to developing our own appliances and systems”, dr. Ed de Jong, vice president development and CatchBio management team member recalls. “For six years now we strive to develop our own IP-portfolio in high added value systems for catalytic biomass conversion of carbohydrates into furanes.”
YXY
Simultaneously CatchBio was started up as a knowledge platform that fitted to Avantium's needs, although with a broader scope. De Jong: “Because of this fit we decided to participate. There were a number of scientific questions that emerged in our line of work that were too fundamental to answer in a corporate environment. These involve reaction kinetics, the role of specific intermediates in reactions and complex 2D NMR analysis of heterogeneous compounds with high molecule weight ingredients. Furthermore, participation gives us the right to license the IP developed within the programme. And thirdly, it is a good way to meet highly educated job candidates with rare specific knowledge on highly oxidated molecules in an aqueous environment.”
On 28 September 2011, the CatchBio mid-term review committee assembles at Chemelot in Geleen, where Avantium starts up a pilot plant with such a process for biomass conversion into biopolymer raw material. De Jong explains: “With this technology, branded as YXY, we will produce furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), the biobased equivalent of terephthalic acid as a building block of for instance polyesters. In the long run, it can also be used for biofuels, but scale and cost wise the technology is not yet fit for that purpose.”
Patent potential
De Jong anticipates on the mid-term review; yes, CatchBio did create critical mass in biomass research and yes, it did promote awareness of biomass potential. “Really innovative ideas and patents still have to emerge. This is partly logical as it requires acquiring basic knowledge - and thus requires time - to become original. That is where we stand now."
"In the third phase of the programme the management team will shift gears towards more applied research", he proceeds. "Delivered proof of principles and industrial interest will be the key criteria for allocating the research budget. To achieve our initial ambitions I expect university research groups to pay more attention to patent potential, however difficult that is. At least Avantium will carefully screen the CatchBio portfolio for patent opportunities.”