Media Release: MicroBioGen and Novonesis develop breakthrough non-GM yeast to increase production, reliability and efficiency

MicroBioGen – an Australian industrial biotechnology company and provider of ‘yeast innovation as a service’ has developed a breakthrough new yeast product in collaboration with global biotech leader Novonesis (formerly Novozymes).

Launched last month, Innova® Delta is the most advanced non-genetically modified (non-GM) and latest innovation in ethanol production which improves reliability, efficiency and performance.

Innova® Delta is a non-GM yeast strain developed in Australia that allows ethanol plants using non-GM yeast to achieve operational performance on par with genetically modified yeasts. In Europe and Australia, stringent regulations limit the commercial use of genetically modified organisms. With Innova® Delta, plants using non-GM yeast can now achieve an average of two percent greater ethanol yield and reduce fermentation times up to 25 percent, maximising operational efficiency and minimising bottlenecks. Innova® Delta also enhances resilience through a temperature tolerance of up to 36 degrees Celsius. It excels in fermentations greater than 50 hours.

Innova® Delta is the ninth product in Novonesis’ Innova® suite of yeast products for biofuel producers which are developed in collaboration with long-term partner MicroBioGen.

MicroBioGen CEO and co-founder Geoff Bell, says: “As demand, and the push, for sustainable aviation fuel continues to increase and intensify as the world moves towards net zero, we are proud to be making great strides in advancing the ethanol industry through our innovative yeast strains. Decades of work and thousands of hours from MicroBioGen’s biofuels team has gone into the development of this breakthrough non-GM yeast strain. We are delighted to collaborate with our longstanding partner Novonesis and congratulate them on the launch.

“As an Australian headquartered company, we look forward to seeing how Australia’s domestic SAF industry develops and believe ethanol is the leading precursor product. We are excited to see ethanol production continue to advance globally through our innovation and research and play a major role in it.”

Jens Kolind, Vice President of Planetary Health, Novonesis Europe, says: “For 20 years, ethanol producers required to use non-genetically modified yeasts have been forced to run their operations to cater to their yeast performance. Our goal was to provide our customers with a solution that delivered on more than increased yield and reduced fermentation times; we also wanted to provide our customers with peace of mind, confidence in their operations, and the ability and freedom to control their plant. Innova® Delta was created to advance non-GM yeast users past their current constraints and challenges to deliver a truly breakthrough solution.”

Since the launch of the first Innova® yeast in 2018, Novonesis has worked with MicroBioGen’s innovative yeast technology to develop industry-leading yeast products with robust characteristics to enhance performance in its interactions in ethanol plants.[1] MicroBioGen’s indexed library of elite genetics, developed over the last 20 years has applications across a broad range of industries globally.

ENDS 

About MicroBioGen

MicroBioGen is an Australian based biotechnology company with global success in improving the industrial capabilities of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This yeast is the world’s most widely used microorganism, underpinning around US$2 trillion in products, from biofuels and pharmaceuticals to mycoproteins for food and feed.

With a proprietary platform technology and library of elite yeast genetics, developed over 20 years, MicroBioGen delivers ‘yeast innovation as a service’ to industry leaders globally.

Demonstrated through MicroBioGen’s biofuels partnership with Novonesis and co-developing the Innova® yeast series which delivers unparalleled industrial performance, MicroBioGen is the collaborator of choice for yeast biotechnology, with opportunities in existing and emerging industries, ranging from optimizing yeast for baking, sustainable feed and energy to food applications. For more information, visit http://www.microbiogen.com.