Mitsubishi Rayon, a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation that manufactures chemicals, plastics, and fibres, has joined hands with Arzeda, a synthetic biology company, for the development of an improved process for producing a chemical building block with multiple applications.
This collaboration will leverage each company’s unique technologies, with work occurring at Arzeda’s laboratories in Seattle (USA), as well as at laboratories of Mitsubishi Rayon in Japan. Arzeda will utilise Archytas, its proprietary industrial protein design software, while Mitsubishi Rayon will apply its expertise in process development and industrial scale-up.
“Through synthetic biology, Arzeda is able to help our customers unlock new opportunities for innovative, high-performing and sustainable products. Mitsubishi Rayon has long been known as a leader in chemistry, and it is a great honour to be working with their team,” said Alexandre Zanghellini, CEO, Arzeda.
Takayuki Iseki, GM - R&D administration department, Mitsubishi Rayon, added, “Through our own experience and expertise, as well as with innovative technology like Arzeda’s, Mitsubishi Rayon can meet the growing global demand for a range of products in a sustainable manner. We look forward to the collaboration.”
Since 2008 Arzeda has been harnessing the power of computational and synthetic biology to create new enzymes and chemical products that can compete on performance, cost and sustainability. In partnership with Fortune 500 companies and industrial leaders, the company has developed a portfolio of enzymes and specialty chemicals for polymers, advanced materials and health and nutrition products. Arzeda's proprietary platform and validation process rapidly create ‘cell factories’ that can be used at an industrial scale to solve problems and create opportunities that otherwise would be impossible.
