Chemical Engineering September 2023 - 10

Predictable plant-based production of
complex biomolecules
FB ENERGY RECOVERY
M
ost plant-based bioprocesses
involve growing
plants in outdoor fields or
greenhouses, but this is hindered
by local climates and available
space, and typical product yields are
very low per plant, especially for natural
active molecules used in pharmaceutical
and healthcare ingredients. Now, a
new biomanufacturing platform developed
by Samabriva (Amiens, France;
www.samabriva.com) takes advantage
of the unique properties of hairy roots
to create a more stable and predictable
way to make high-value molecules.
" We can cultivate hairy roots into a confined
environment with only water, sugar
and nutrients, and they will continue to
grow indefinitely
regardless of light or
temperature. We can genetically modify
the hairy roots in order to overexpress
a molecule of interest within the root,
meaning we can efficiently produce natural
active molecules all year round, " explains
Marina Guillet, CEO of Samabriva.
Since the hairy roots emerge from a
single cell, they are considered a clonal
system, which explains their excellent
reproducibility. " This is not a transient
system; it is highly stable. Once we
have developed the hairy root clone, we
are thus always working with the same
hairy root clone for many years. Moreover,
culture conditions of the hairy root
clones can be fully controlled in largescale
bioreactors. This explains why we
see such predictable growth rate and
productivity of the system over time, "
adds Guillet.
The company's proprietary bioreactors
enable onsite production of highvalue
molecules for which chemical
synthesis is not efficient, such as alkaloids.
Samabriva's hairy-root system
can also be configured to produce recombinant
proteins without the use of
any animal cells. The ability to synthesize
all of these materials onsite and inexpensively
in a GMP-certifiable system
is advantageous in that production is
not limited by regional growing conditions
or transportation costs.
n
In late July, Kason Corp. (Chicago,
Ill.; www.kason.com) launched the
new Vibro-Bed energy recovery
system (ERS), an exhaust-air recycling
system engineered to help material
processors drastically lower
energy costs, reduce unpleasant
odors and curb emissions. The
Vibro-Bed ERS is the latest add-on
to Kason's Vibro-Bed fluidized-bed
(FB) processor, which is said to be
the first and only FB with a circular
design for more efficient drying,
cooling and moisturizing.
Vibro-Bed ERS can be retrofitted
on FB drying systems or added on
new instalations. A partial-loop drying
system, it recycles a portion of
the heated air exhausted by the FB,
while removing excess water vapor
from the air stream. A programmable
logic controller (PLC) opens and
closes a series of backdraft dampers,
forcing the previously heated air
back into the FB dryer.
By recirculating heated exhaust air,
processors can save up to 50% in
energy costs, and paypack can be
as little as 12 mo, Kason says. ❐
The Evolution of Kynar®
PVDF
Kynar® PVDF has long been a proven choice for fabrication
of vessels. Now there are 3 choices depending on the
application.
→ Mechanically strong and highly ductile
→ Easy to fabricate
* Welding, cutting, thermoforming
→ Resistant to strong acids, chlorides, bromides,
hydrocarbons, and others
→ Regulatory compliances
* UL®
/ FM®
/ FDA®
/ NSF®
Kynar Flex®
2800
Sheet Lined Metal Vessels
Kynar®
740
Strong, Free Standing Fabrications
For more information contact:
Averie Palovcak
610-205-7026
Averie.Palovcak@arkema.com
Kynar Flex®
2850
Dual Laminate Tanks
kynar.com
For details visit adlinks.chemengonline.com/84651-05
10
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
SEPTEMBER 2023
http://www.kason.com http://www.samabriva.com http://adlinks.chemengonline.com/84651-05 http://WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
Chemical Engineering September 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Chemical Engineering September 2023
