Page 160 - CW E-Magazine (27-8-2024)

News from Abroad News from Abroad

DIVESTMENT made possible by the use of agri-food like Colgate-Palmolive, Unilever, and price increases. Often, the answer isn’t
Merck sells pigments business to China’s GNMI side streams and an asset-light tech- Zeelandia. to prohibit a product but to step back
and create a superior alternative that
nology quick to scale. Additionally, the
for €665-mn technology also boasts a 90% reduction “The global demand for palm oil naturally compels a switch. This fund-
in CO emissions and a 99% decrease grows by 4% annually, and there’s no ing is pivotal for us to demonstrate
2
in land use compared to traditional strategy to meet the additional 22-mil- large-scale production and reach our
Germany’s Merck has agreed to long-term lease contract with GNMI palm oil production.” lion tons needed by 2030 without clear- next milestone of producing 1.5-million
sell its Surface Solutions business and a clear separation plan for the area ing rainforests 1.5 times the size of kilograms of sustainable oil annually,
unit to Global New Material Inter- used by the Surface Solutions business. After a pre-seed round in 2022, Ireland. With new regulations banning solidifying our role as a trusted partner
national (GNMI) of China for €665-mn The GreenTech Park Fluxum in Gern- NoPalm Ingredients has developed deforestation-related products, European in the food and personal care industries.
($720-mn) in cash. sheim is not affected by the sale. an in-house pilot line producing kilo- companies can only source sustainably We are on track for industrialisation
grams of oil per batch and completed certifi ed palm oil, which excludes 83% and commercialisation in 2025,”
The Surface Solutions business Merck intends to use the net pro- several pilot projects with companies of current supplies. This will drive commented Mr. Langhout.
makes pigments used in coating, ceeds from the divestment to strengthen
industrial and cosmetic applications its strategic core businesses. PHARMA INJECTABLES
and generated sales of Euro 411-mn last Ashland bolsters bioresorbable polymer chemistry
year. Around 1,200 employees, approxi- “The divestiture of the Surface
mately 700 of whom are based in Solutions business unit will further capabilities at Irish facility
Germany, are to be transferred to GNMI and Asia, while maintaining its exist- sharpen our focus on high-tech applica-
as part of the transaction. ing production facilities in Gernsheim, tions in electronics, such as driving the
Germany, Onahama, Japan, and Savannah, development of next-generation chips US-based speciality chemicals fi rm, improved pharmaceuticals, medical and General Manager, life sciences,
As per GNMI plans, the Surface Georgia, USA. as an integrated solutions provider for Ashland, has announced the completion devices and tissue engineering solutions. Ashland. “Our Viatel bioresorbable
Solutions business unit would have our semiconductor customers,” said of the second expansion of its pharma- polymers play a crucial role in devel-
three regional headquarters with one Merck will remain the owner of the Ms. Belén Garijo, Chair of the Exe- ceutical injectables manufacturing and This project is supported by oping improved treatment solutions for
each in Germany, the United States property at the Gernsheim site with a cutive Board and CEO of Merck. R&D lab at the National Science Park the Irish Government through IDA chronic diseases including long-acting
in Mullingar, Ireland. The expansion is Ireland. release formulations, bioresorbable
PALM OIL ALTERNATIVE focused on delivery of innovative bio- medical devices, and tissue engineering
“Expansion of our facility in Ire-
scaffolds,” informed Dr. Seán Mc-
NoPalm Ingredients secures €5-mn funding resorbable polymer chemistry to meet land showcases Ashland’s commitment Mahon, Global Business Manager,
increasing market demand.
to continued innovation in injectables pharmaceutical injectables, Ashland.
NoPalm Ingredients, the Dutch bio- The investment also underscores technology. We are actively engaging
technology company producing yeast Ashland’s commitment to the com- with our customers to help them solve Ashland supplies over 70 GM
oils, has announced the successful clo- pany’s new innovative technology for performance attributes that reduce grades of lactide/glycolide/caprolactone
sure of a €5-mn seed funding round. platforms announced last September. injection frequency and yield better copolymers within its Viatel portfolio
The funding round was led by Rubio One of seven platforms, bioresorbable therapy outcomes,” said Ms. Ales- and offers custom-made and ultrapure
Impact Ventures, one of Europe’s lead- polymers enable customers to create sandra Faccin, Senior Vice President polymer production options.
ing impact venture capital fi rms, and
co-led by Oost NL, Fairtree Elevant Sirio sets USP reference standards for ubidecarenone
Ventures, and family offi ce Willow
Capital Investments with participation chewable gels
from The Netherlands Enterprise Agency
(RVO) and other private investors. Sirio Pharma, a China-based nutra- and reference standards. These new are widely used by regulatory bodies,
The investment will accelerate the ceutical contract development and standards will be the benchmark against industries, and independent third-party
company’s mission to provide a local, manufacturing organisation (CDMO), which all future products are validated laboratories across over 150 countries.
circular, and sustainable solution for has announced that its ubidecarenone in terms of quality standards, minimum Signifi cantly, this is the fi rst time a
the global palm oil market. oil, which is found in 60% of super- side streams, such as potato peels and chewable gels have been added to the dose criteria, and formulation. CDMO headquartered in China has es-
market products. NoPalm Ingredients whey permeate, into yeast oils. United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) tablished a dietary supplement standard
Founded in 2021 by Mr. Lars Lang- employs a unique fermentation process monograph. USP reference standards are used with the USP and subsequently been
hout and Professor Dr. Jeroen Hugen- using non-GMO proprietary yeasts NoPalm Ingredients said its oils are to assess nutraceutical specifi cations – added to the USP monograph.
holtz, NoPalm Ingredients aims to combined with a patented low-capex an ideal drop-in replacement for palm The addition comes after three years including identity, potency, quality,
address the environmental and supply technology. This process transforms oil, requiring no recipe reformulation of working alongside the USP to estab- and purity of dietary supplement and In total Sirio has now been involved
chain challenges of conventional palm upcycled, locally-sourced agri-food and achieving price parity. “This is lish the required candidate documentary active pharmaceutical ingredients – and in the formulation of 35 global standards.

160 Chemical Weekly August 27, 2024 Chemical Weekly August 27, 2024 161

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