Page 168 - CW E-Magazine (11-3-2025)

News from Abroad

GREEN CHEMISTRY
Singapore’s A*STAR And MojiaBio team up to develop

biomanufacturing platform

The Agency for Science, Techno- efficiency, scalability, and
logy and Research (A*STAR), sustainability while reducing
Singapore’s leading public sector R&D production costs.
agency, and MojiaBio, a Singapore-
headquartered specialist in green Professor Tan Sze Wee,
chemistry and sustainable biomanu- Assistant Chief Executive from
facturing, are developing an SGD 44.8-mn A*STAR Biomedical Research
($33-mn) Sustainable Biomanufacturing Council said, “By leveraging
Technology Platform (SBTP). synthetic biology and enzyme
engineering capabilities at
“By integrating advanced synthetic “The SBTP will not only produce A*STAR SIFBI and A*STAR Institute
biology and bioprocessing innovations, bio-based molecules but also sup- of Sustainability for Chemicals, Energy
the SBTP aims to position Singapore as port downstream application research and Environment (A*STAR ISCE2)
a leading player in sustainable biomanu- to synthesise high-value sustainable and forming strategic private-public
facturing, accelerating the transition products for different industries,” partnerships, we are laying the foun-
to a circular bioeconomy and net-zero said Dr. Ramon Gonzalez, MojiaBio dation for further advancements in
future,” a press note from the collabo- CSO. “Through our partnership with sustainable biomanufacturing across
rators stated. A*STAR, we will be able to accelerate multiple industries. This collaboration
the commercialisation of green PDO to will not only accelerate Singapore’s
The SBTP is seeking to differen- meet the growing demands and needs bioeconomy growth but also under-
tiate itself from other existing bio-based of the market.” The SBTP leverages score our commitment to advancing in
molecules in the market, by “the inno- advanced synthetic biology and integrates value-added ingredient innovation and
vative use of cost-effective sources the National University of Singa- green technologies.”
like methanol and ethylene glycol”, pore (NUS)’ computational modelling
which enables the platform to produce expertise to engineer enzymes and micro- Dr. Gonzalez also informed that
scalable, sustainable alternatives to bial strains, optimising them as biocata- MojiaBio is also progressing on estab-
conventional chemical processes. This lysts. Unlike conventional fermentation lishing its operational headquarters and
includes the production of 1,3-propane- methods, the platform operates inde- a dedicated research laboratory in
diol (PDO), a key ingredient for a broad pendently of its host cell metabolism, Singapore to accelerate commerciali-
array of industries such as skincare which signifi cantly enhances energy sation of other green chemicals.
products, coatings and biodegradable
plastics. US-based Cornerstone to shutter

At the heart of the SBTP is Mojia- acrylonitrile unit
Bio’s proprietary Cn+Bio pathway
and OrthBio bioconversion process, Cornerstone Chemical Company, supplied global markets for AN and
designed to convert low-cost, renewable a provider of melamine, acrylonitrile increasing raw material costs. “After
sources into bio-based molecules. This (AN) and sulphuric acid, has decided careful consideration of market condi-
will be developed in close collabora- to mothball its AN operations effective tions and ongoing strategic reviews,
tion with A*STAR Singapore Institute June 30, 2025. the company has determined that this
of Food and Biotechnology Innovation course of action is necessary to ensure
(A*STAR SIFBI), which will provide The company attributed the deci- the long-term success of its world-class
expertise on enzyme engineering, to sion to exit the AN market due to Energy Park, the viability of its remain-
ensure a faster, more reliable, and higher- mounting fi nancial challenges faced ing businesses and the well-being of its
yield conversion. by the business, exacerbated by over- employees and stakeholders,” it said.

168 Chemical Weekly March 11, 2025

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