Page 175 - CW E-Magazine (13-8-2024)

News from Abroad News from Abroad

SPECIALITY PLANT NUTRITION PARTNERSHIP
ICL buys Custom Ag Formulators MilliporeSigma to collaborate with Gene Therapy

Israel-based speciality minerals Solutions’ business product offerings growth of our global Growing Solu- Research Institution
company, ICL, has acquired Custom and to position the business for further tions business, by enabling us to meet
Ag Formulators (CAF), a North American growth in new and adjacent end-mar- the distinctive needs of local growers MilliporeSigma, the US and Canada services, we can better equip and support ing to bring our unique gene therapy
provider of customised agriculture kets. through our existing distribution life science business of Germany’s GTRI in accelerating process develop- techniques to refractory diseases where
formulations and products, for approxi- partners. It also allows us to address Merck, has announced that its life ment and manufacturing of viral vec- effective therapies have not been estab-
mately $60-mn. CAF offers a diverse CAF operates two US-based facili- the specifi c requirements of farmers science business sector has signed a tor-based gene therapy. We believe this lished, primarily focusing on Parkin-
assortment of liquid adjuvants and ties, with one in Fresno, California, and across the growing regions of the non-binding Memorandum of Under- collaboration will ultimately help save son’s disease and Amyotrophic Lateral
nutrients, as well as various other specia- a second in Adel, Georgia. Both sites West Coast and the Southeast, where standing (MoU) with Gene Therapy many patients suffering from serious Sclerosis (ALS),” said Mr. Katsuhito
lity products. manufacture liquid and dry formula- crops – and their nutritional needs – Research Institution Co. Ltd. (GTRI), a diseases.” Asai, CEO, GTRI. “Our biggest chal-
tions. can vary greatly,” said Mr. Elad Japanese clinical-stage biotech start-up lenge is developing robust and safe
ICL said its second acquisition of Aharonson, President of ICL Growing specialising in gene therapy using adeno- As part of the MoU, MilliporeSigma manufacturing processes for viral
the year will help expand its ‘Growing “This acquisition helps further the Solutions. associated virus (AAV) vectors. will partner with GTRI to build a vectors used to introduce DNA into
robust AAV production platform to patients, especially on a large scale.
Indonesia test runs trains on palm oil-blended diesel GTRI will utilise MilliporeSigma’s scale up production. The collabora- Producing viral vectors is much more
Sf-RVN Insect Cell Line platform for the tion will also include the use of Milli- complex and larger in scale than mak-
Indonesia has successfully conducted diesel 40 (B40), tests the feasibility of by December so that the use of B40 Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) poreSigma’s cell line and platform ing typical antibody drugs. Our partner-
its fi rst test of diesel locomotives a cleaner fuel composed of 40% fatty can fully be carried out in 2025. production of its viral vector-based technologies for developing viral vec- ship with MilliporeSigma will optimise
running on fuel containing 40% palm acid methyl ester (FAME) derived from gene therapy for Parkinson’s Disease. tor-based gene therapy. Additionally, this process and help bring therapies to
oil, as part of the government’s move crude palm oil and 60% of fossil fuel Indonesia’s biodiesel uses the highest “In Japan, clinical trials of gene therapy MilliporeSigma will provide GTRI market faster,” he added.
to increase the use of palm-based bio- diesel. The test was jointly conducted proportion of palm oil in the world, medicines are underway in the hope with technical support, training and
diesel fuel in various types of transpor- by the country’s Energy and Mineral and its B40 programme aims to reduce of developing new treatments to fi ght process optimisation for process deve- Earlier this year, Merck announced a
tation. Resources Ministry and state-owned the country’s reliance on imported and cure diseases,” said Mr. Isao Hatano, lopment at the ‘M Lab Collaboration partnership with The Michael J. Fox Foun-
railway operator, PT KAI. The govern- diesel while ramping up demand for Head, Process Solutions, Japan, Life Centre’ in Tokyo. dation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) to
The programme, known as Bio- ment is expecting to complete the trails domestically produced vegetable oils. Science business of Merck. “With advance research aimed at slowing
our broad portfolio of products and “Since 2014, we have been work- progression of Parkinson’s disease.
TOWARDS NET ZERO
Technip Energies to provide low-emissions cracking Avantium to open fl agship FDCA plant in October

sugar (fructose) into FDCA, the key
Renewable chemistry company, construction in Delfzijl, the Nether-
furnace to Chevron Phillips Avantium, has announced that “the lands. This February, the company had building block for a wide range of
world’s fi rst commercial facility” for raised €70-mn to fund the start-up of plant-based chemicals and plastics such
France’s Technip Energies has ent exchanger. The project also electrifi es of using hydrogen as fuel, the project the production of furandicarboxylic the plant. as polyethylene furanoate (PEF). PEF
been awarded an engineering and pro- a major compressor driver, and because enables immediate and future reductions acid (FDCA) from plant-based sugars is a 100% plant-based and recyclable
curement contract by Chevron Phillips the low emission furnace will be capable to the existing unit’s carbon intensity. will open on October 22, 2024. The facility will use Avantium’s plastic. Avantium has signed FDCA
Chemical (CPChem) for the supply proprietary YXY technology, which supply agreements with Helios and
of a proprietary low-emission crack- POST-MAINTENANCE DEVELOPMENT The 5-ktpa plant is currently under uses catalysts to convert plant-based Henkel.
ing furnace in an existing olefi ns unit Osaka Petrochemical’s ethylene
at its facility in Sweeny, Texas. This SK Capital buys certain composites assets from
low-emission design is cost-effective plant restart delayed
and will reduce fuel consumption and Parker Hannifi n
CO emissions by approximately 30%. Japan’s Osaka Petrochemical Indus- until the problem is resolved,” the com-
2
tries (OPC), a wholly-owned subsi- pany said in a statement, indicating a SK Capital Partners, a US-based based conglomerate specialising in the defence and commercial aero-
Technip Energies’ patented design diary of Mitsui Chemicals, has revealed rough time period of 2-3 months for private investment fi rm focused on motion and control technologies. space markets. The business gene-
of the low emission cracking furnace the discovery of a failure in the steam rectifying the problem. The company the speciality materials, ingredients, rates annual sales of approximately
focuses on improving fuel effi ciency using supply system of its 455-ktpa ethylene said it is still investigating the poten- and life sciences sectors, has agreed Parker Hannifin’s CFC division $350-mn, operates six manufacturing
a novel heat recovery scheme, which plant while production was paused for tial impacts on supplies to customers, to acquire the North America Com- is a leading provider of engineered locations across North America,
includes combustion air preheat and a fi rst- scheduled maintenance. “The restart of as well as the impact on its fi nancial posites & Fuel Containment (CFC) carbon fibre composite components and employs approximately 1,700
of-its-kind gas-to-gas primary feed-effl u- production operations will be delayed results. Division of Parker Hannifi n, a US- and fuel containment solutions for people.

174 Chemical Weekly August 13, 2024 Chemical Weekly August 13, 2024 175

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