Page 168 - CW E-Magazine (14-11-2023)

News from Abroad

SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY

Debut gets funding from L’Oréal to advance biomanu-

facturing of fragrance molecules

US-based biotech firm, Debut, has palette and halt the extraction of ingre-
closed a total of $40-mn in its Series dients from the planet. We are already
B funding led by BOLD, the venture being approached by companies to cre-
capital fund of French cosmetics major, ate bio-identical molecules for existing
L’Oréal. fragrances and innovate novel fragrance
molecules that will confer olfactive
The company, which focuses on deve- uniqueness to brands,” said Dr. Britton.
loping a new generation of cosmetic
bioactive ingredients using biomanu- Debut’s bio-identical ingredients
facturing approaches, said the funding are genetic facsimiles of molecules that
will be used to leverage its proprietary exist in nature. During the biomanu-
biomanufacturing platform to advance formulas. Debut’s biotechnology ap- facturing process, the input is natural,
into the fragrance category and esta- proach can replicate the scent signature the vehicle that makes the molecule is
blish its biotech fragrance model as the and precise characteristics of natural in- natural and the end-product – the ingre-
preeminent benchmark in the fragrance gredients, including those that are struc- dients – are also natural. “With both a
industry. “Having successfully scaled turally complex, difficult to source, and combination of cell and enzyme cata-
biotechnology with 100 percent success only exist in trace amounts in nature. lysis, Debut can create complex novel
in skincare and leading that category, we Debut will also develop novel fragrance biomolecules with innovative and
are now addressing the urgent challenges molecules, opening new creative possi- heightened performance. Advanced
facing the fragrance industry,” said bilities for the fragrance industry. biomanufacturing is the game-changer
Debut Founder and CEO, Dr. Joshua that will protect and elevate perfumery.
Britton. Debut said its biomanufacturing “Debut’s ability to manufacture It creates a huge intellectual property
model will enable fragrance brands to natural, safe, and sustainable fragrance moat that will redefine the art of
transition to bio-based formulas, while molecules at the highest standards of perfumery in the coming decade,” noted
protecting the olfactive integrity of their purity will safeguard the perfumer’s Dr. Britton.
COST CUTTING
Trinseo discontinues ethylbenzene & styrene

operations at Dutch site

Trinseo, a US-based specialty mate- we believe that we will be able to produced at the closed PMMA sheet
rial solutions provider, said it will support our downstream business plants will now be produced by other
discontinue operations at its ethylben- effectively through market purchases facilities within the global network,
zene-styrene monomer (EBSM) manu- with lower carbon, capital and energy primarily Saint-Avold, France, and
facturing facility in Terneuzen, the intensity for the foreseeable future,” Florence, Kentucky, USA.
Netherlands. The plant is scheduled to said the company’s CEO, Mr. Frank
officially cease operations in Novem- Bozich. In aggregate, these initiatives are
ber 2023. With the closure of the EBSM expected to result in annual cost savings
facility, the company will purchase of The company also recently an- of approximately $75-mn.
all of its styrene needs from third party nounced the closure of its PMMA
suppliers to support its downstream (polymethyl methacrylate) sheet ope- “These latest restructuring actions,
businesses. rations in Bronderslev, Denmark, Belen, in combination with lower natural gas
New Mexico, and Rho, Italy, as well as hedge losses, are expected to result in a
“Given reduced European demand cost saving measures including head- sequential profitability improvement of
and global styrene capacity additions, count and other reductions. Materials $100-mn in 2024,” the company said.

168 Chemical Weekly November 14, 2023

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