Ingenza and Cellugy boosting bacterial cellulose production to replace petrochemicals

02 Sep 2024 --- Industrial biotech specialist Ingenza collaborates with Cellugy to accelerate the development of its innovative platform for producing biofabricated cellulose.

From personal care to other industrial applications, Ingenza says the technology will offer a sustainable substitute for petrochemicals derived from fossil fuels. The new project seeks to ultimately accelerate the understanding and optimization of bacterial cellulose production.

In order to lessen dependency on petrochemicals for a safer and healthier environment, Denmark-based start-up Cellugy says it started in 2018 with the goal of developing high-performance, completely bio-based and biodegradable ingredients through the use of cellulose-producing microorganisms. 

“Invaluable insights”

Ingenza believes Cellugy can benefit from its experience in the study of microorganisms.

The partnership aims to focus on “implementing different techniques” to determine what factors influence the cellulose production pathway. Cellugy’s work will provide insights into developing focused strategies to increase cellulose productivity and yield, laying the groundwork for future commercial viability and success, says Ingenza.

Cristina Serrano, senior scientist at Ingenza, comments: “We are thrilled to join forces with Cellugy to explore strategies for improving bacterial cellulose production. From a scientist’s perspective, this project is an exciting opportunity to work with a new organism, which will in turn help us to showcase Ingenza’s capabilities and expand our ever-increasing technical knowledge.” 

Deby Fapyane, co-founder and chief scientific officer at Cellugy, adds: “This partnership with Ingenza perfectly aligns with our commitment to driving sustainability in biotechnology. By combining the expertise of both companies, we aim to accelerate the development of the next generation of bio-solutions for sustainable ingredients for the personal care market.”

In related news, Unilever extended its partnership with Econic Technologies to find new methods of creating sustainable cleaning and laundry products, such as transforming CO2. The FMCG giant says it wants to replace fossil-based raw materials with renewable carbon, with concerns about GHG emissions.