- Email: [email protected]
Grace announces new BioFuel Technologies Group
FOCUS Including the Thann divestiture charge of $89.2 M, the Fine Chemicals segment loss for 3Q 2006 was $73 M. R&D expenses were $11.549 M for 3Q 2006 ($10.107 M in 3Q 2005) and $34.192 M for nine months of 2006 ($31.429 M in nine months of 2005). Albemarle 3Q and nine months of 2006 results, Albemarle Corp, 330 South Fourth Street, PO Box 1335, Richmond, VA 23210, USA. Tel: +1 804 788 6000. Fax: +1 804 388 7686. Website: http://www.albemarle.com (18 Oct 2006)
BASF benefits from new environmental laws BASF’s newly acquired environmental catalyst business will benefit from the introduction of more stringent environmental laws, principally in the USA and Europe. The company estimates a 50% increase in the level of revenue growth from catalytic exhaust converters for cars with the implementation of emission regulation standards. Global revenues from these materials are seen to climb by around 6%/y through 2010 from the current $2.5 bn. BASF’s purchase of Engelhard in 2006 marked its entry into the environmental catalyst market. In 2005, Engelhard’s environmental catalyst unit, which specializes in automotive catalysts, generated sales of $1.1 bn (€870 M). The automotive catalyst operations complement BASF’s units, including engineering materials coatings and performance coatings, which serve the automotive market. With such attractive prospects for growth, BASF has identified the automotive industry as a major market. The sector accounts for 11% of BASF’s North American sales. ICIS Chemical Business, 16 Oct 2006 (Website: http://icischemicalbusiness.com)
Danisco 2005: business development For its fiscal 2005 Danisco A/S has reported on its business development ventures. Danisco supports the development of new business areas in order to identify, acquire, or license new products and technologies from external sources such as universities, institutions, start-ups, and other businesses. Danisco has also launched a number of evaluation projects relating to opportunities in health and nutrition. Originally, Danisco Venture was established with
DECEMBER 2006
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the purpose of investing in strategic technology. The takeover of Genencor provided an excellent biotechnology platform offering a host of attractive investment opportunities. Consequently, the company will no longer seek investments in new venture companies but will continue to invest in the existing portfolio companies. About DKR 100 M has been invested in venture activities to date. Danisco Annual Report 2005, 26 Jun 2006, 15 (Danisco A/S, Langebrogade 1, PO Box 17, DK-1001 Copenhagen K, Denmark. Tel: +45 3266 2000. Fax: +45 3266 2175. Website: http://www.danisco.com)
Danisco 2005: key product launches in 2005/2006 Danisco A/S has reported on its key product launches for its fiscal 2005. Stargen: A new and highly attractive bioethanol enzyme used in a new cold-process production method which will reduce the production costs of bioethanol and enhance the production volume obtained from a certain quantity of raw material such as corn. This type of enzyme is expected to capture a significant share of the future bioethanol market. Danisco Annual Report 2005, 26 Jun 2006, 14 (Danisco A/S, Langebrogade 1, PO Box 17, DK-1001 Copenhagen K, Denmark. Tel: +45 3266 2000. Fax: +45 3266 2175. Website: http://www.danisco.com)
Danisco may have to pay Novozymes $50 M In Aug 2006 it was ruled that Danisco had infringed Novozymes’ US patent for an enzyme used in ethanol production and the company could now be asked to pay up to $50 M in compensation. In the first instance Novozymes will seek $18 M in damages at the court in Delaware. It will try to prove that Danisco, via its company Genencor, knowingly infringed its patent. However, the court could triple this sum.
already used in Suzuki coupling reactions, amination, and arylketones formations but now DHC has confirmed that it can also effect reducing carbonylation reactions. Using aryl halogenides, a single stage reaction using the product generates aromatic aldehydes. These compounds are intermediates used by the pharmaceutical fine chemicals industry. The technology, which uses a di(adamantyl) phosphine ligand, was developed in collaboration with the Leibniz Institute and is more effective whilst more gentle than the traditional process. The process has already been scaled up to industrial level at DHC’s site. Another advantage the process offers is that it does not require large amounts of dangerous raw materials. Info Chimie Magazine, Feb 2006, (469), 33 (in French)
Genzyme reports strong 3Q 2006 financial results Genzyme Corp reported revenue of $808.6 M for 3Q 2006 ($708.1 M in 3Q 2005). GAAP net income was $16 M for 3Q 2006 (GAAP income of $115.7 M in 3Q 2005). Non-GAAP net income for 3Q 2006 increased to $195.9 M (non-GAAP net income of $160.5 M in 3Q 2005). A significant new contributor to Genzyme’s top line is Myozyme (alglucosidase alfa). The product is off to a highly encouraging start following its launch in the US in mid-May 2005 and in Europe a month earlier. Unaudited consolidated statements of operations of the company for three and nine months ended Sep 2005 and 2006, reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP earnings for three months ended Sep 2006, and unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet data as on 31 Dec 2005 and 30 Sep 2006, are given in five enclosed tables.
Dagbladet Borsen, 11 Oct 2006 (Website: http://www.borsen.dk) (in Danish)
Genzyme 3Q and nine months of 2005-2006 results, 12 Oct 2006 (Genzyme Corp, One Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. Tel: +1 617 252 7500. Fax: +1 617 252 7600. Website: http://www.genzyme.com)
New applications for Degussa’s cataCXium A
Grace announces new BioFuel Technologies Group
Degussa’s new start-up company Degussa Homogeneous Catalysts (DHC) has extended the range of catalytic reactions produced by its product cataCXium A. This catalyst is
Grace Davison, an operating segment of WR Grace & Co, has established the BioFuel Technologies Group that will oversee intensified product development in the renewable fuels
3
FOCUS industry. The BioFuel Technologies Group is the flagship project of the Incubator Technology program at Grace that develops technology and products through a combination of R&D and business development. The first areas the BioFuel Technologies Group will focus on include catalysts and adsorbents for enhanced biodiesel and bioethanol production, as well as chromatography-based analytical and quality control tools. Press release from: WR Grace, Columbia, MD, USA. Tel: +1 410 531 419. Website: http://www.grace.com (2 Oct 2006) & Chemical and Engineering News, 9 Oct 2006, 84 (41), 21-22 (Website: http://www.cenonline.org) & Chemical Week, 18 Oct 2006, (Website: http://www.chemweek.com)
Mitsui plans to launch sales of photocatalyst Mitsui Chemicals plans to have its high performance photocatalyst available in the market beginning 1 Apr 2007. The company used its proprietary inorganic nanocontrol process method to develop the material, which is mainly aimed at indoor application. Mitsui is shipping samples to product manufacturers, and will undertake an intense product evaluation. Photocatalyst works by using titanium dioxide’s organic substance decomposition function and its high level of hydrophilicity. One of the traditional applications of photocatalyst is air purifiers, but another emerging application is for the exterior cladding of buildings. Japan Chemical Week, 28 Sep 2006, 47 (2385), 12
Novozymes had good 1H Novozymes had a good 1H 2006 which lived up to expectations. Sales grew by 8% relative to 1% 2005, and productivity and profitability improved. More resources were invested in business development, and various research projects, such as biomassto-ethanol, were prioritised. During 1H 2006, Novozymes acquired the Chinese biopolymer company Huayuan and the UK company Delta Biotechnology, which specialises in recombinant proteins production for biopharmaceuticals. Novozymes has also entered into an agreement with Celliance regarding the possibility of marketing recombinant proteins for cell culture ingredients in the biopharmaceutical industry. In
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Australia, Novozymes is planning to acquire GroPep Ltd, which specialises in proteins for cell culture ingredients. The Zymes (Novozymes’ Shareholder Magazine), Sep 2006, 2-3 (The Zymes, Novozymes A/S, Krogshojvej 36, 2880 Bagsvaerd, Denmark. Tel: +45 8824 9999. Fax: +45 8824 9998. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.novozymes.com)
Even more products from Novozymes in 2006 During 1H 2006 Novozymes has launched three new enzyme products and one new micro-organism product. For the whole of 2006, the company now expects to introduce 6-8 new products. In 2005, new products, including products less than five years old, accounted for 30% of total sales. In Jun 2006 Novozymes launched a new enzyme for liquid detergents, Liquanase, which is particularly effective on protein-based stains and which works at just 30°C. A new enzyme for ethanol production was also introduced in Jun 2006, aimed at producers of starch-based ethanol using the cold process, where the producer can skip a step in ethanol production, namely heating the starch to high temperatures. It is therefore a more efficient enzyme. Since Apr 2006 Cerezyme Sorghum has been making it easier for African brewers to make beer. Novozymes has also introduced a new and advanced technology using microbes which has proved effective at removing organic stains and odours from carpet fibres. The Zymes (Novozymes’ Shareholder Magazine), Sep 2006, 12 (The Zymes, Novozymes A/S, Krogshojvej 36, 2880 Bagsvaerd, Denmark. Tel: +45 8824 9999. Fax: +45 8824 9998. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.novozymes.com)
Novozymes results 3Q 2006 Novozymes reported a turnover of DKR 1756 M for 3Q 2006, which was 8% up on 3Q 2005 and 2% above market expectations. The division for washing product enzymes performed surprisingly positively with a 4% increase in sales, mainly through greater sales to third world countries. Operating earnings of DKR 349 M were recorded, compared with a market estimate of DKR 333 M, which meant a generous profit margin of 19.9%. Net Posten, 26 Oct 2006 (Website: http://www.netposten.dk/) (in Danish)
Novozymes benefits from growing market for biofuels In 1-3Q 2006 Novozymes experienced a 20% growth in sales in the area of other technical enzymes, which includes enzymes for fuel ethanol production. This is a positive development for the Danish firm, which is one of the world’s leading suppliers of enzymes for fuel ethanol manufacture, and reflects the growing demand in this area, not least in the US which is keen to find environmentally friendly alternatives to fossil fuel and which accounts for 80-90% of the turnover in the growing market for fuel ethanol. N America was one of the markets in which Novozymes made greatest progress, with an 18% growth in sales in DKR. Dagbladet Borsen, 25 Oct 2006 (Website: http://www.borsen.dk) (in Danish)
Novozymes and Broin collaborate in bioethanol production Novozymes, Denmark, and Broin, US, are expanding their collaboration in the development of a secondgeneration process for the production of ethanol from biomass. The two companies have already successfully collaborated in developing and commercializing new technologies. This includes the enzyme BPX-1 for the starch-based production of bioethanol using the so-called cold process. The partnership involves a combination of Novozymes’ expertise in biotechnology and Broin’s know how in biofuels. Dagbladet Borsen, 26 Oct 2006 (Website: http://www.borsen.dk) (in Danish)
Novozymes forms alliance with Biocatalytics Danish company Novozymes recently formed an alliance with US company Biocatalytics to put their chiral synthesis by biocatalysis resources in common. Biocatalytics will be responsible for marketing the enzymes and will have contracts covering research and process development. Novozymes will be in charge of commercial scale synthesis. There have been several biocatalysis alliances in recent months. In Feb 2006 PCAS and Proteus created a joint venture called PCAS Biosolution
DECEMBER 2006
BASF benefits from new environmental laws BASF’s newly acquired environmental catalyst business will benefit from the introduction of more stringent environmental laws, principally in the USA and Europe. The company estimates a 50% increase in the level of revenue growth from catalytic exhaust converters for cars with the implementation of emission regulation standards. Global revenues from these materials are seen to climb by around 6%/y through 2010 from the current $2.5 bn. BASF’s purchase of Engelhard in 2006 marked its entry into the environmental catalyst market. In 2005, Engelhard’s environmental catalyst unit, which specializes in automotive catalysts, generated sales of $1.1 bn (€870 M). The automotive catalyst operations complement BASF’s units, including engineering materials coatings and performance coatings, which serve the automotive market. With such attractive prospects for growth, BASF has identified the automotive industry as a major market. The sector accounts for 11% of BASF’s North American sales. ICIS Chemical Business, 16 Oct 2006 (Website: http://icischemicalbusiness.com)
Danisco 2005: business development For its fiscal 2005 Danisco A/S has reported on its business development ventures. Danisco supports the development of new business areas in order to identify, acquire, or license new products and technologies from external sources such as universities, institutions, start-ups, and other businesses. Danisco has also launched a number of evaluation projects relating to opportunities in health and nutrition. Originally, Danisco Venture was established with
DECEMBER 2006
ON
C ATA LY S T S
the purpose of investing in strategic technology. The takeover of Genencor provided an excellent biotechnology platform offering a host of attractive investment opportunities. Consequently, the company will no longer seek investments in new venture companies but will continue to invest in the existing portfolio companies. About DKR 100 M has been invested in venture activities to date. Danisco Annual Report 2005, 26 Jun 2006, 15 (Danisco A/S, Langebrogade 1, PO Box 17, DK-1001 Copenhagen K, Denmark. Tel: +45 3266 2000. Fax: +45 3266 2175. Website: http://www.danisco.com)
Danisco 2005: key product launches in 2005/2006 Danisco A/S has reported on its key product launches for its fiscal 2005. Stargen: A new and highly attractive bioethanol enzyme used in a new cold-process production method which will reduce the production costs of bioethanol and enhance the production volume obtained from a certain quantity of raw material such as corn. This type of enzyme is expected to capture a significant share of the future bioethanol market. Danisco Annual Report 2005, 26 Jun 2006, 14 (Danisco A/S, Langebrogade 1, PO Box 17, DK-1001 Copenhagen K, Denmark. Tel: +45 3266 2000. Fax: +45 3266 2175. Website: http://www.danisco.com)
Danisco may have to pay Novozymes $50 M In Aug 2006 it was ruled that Danisco had infringed Novozymes’ US patent for an enzyme used in ethanol production and the company could now be asked to pay up to $50 M in compensation. In the first instance Novozymes will seek $18 M in damages at the court in Delaware. It will try to prove that Danisco, via its company Genencor, knowingly infringed its patent. However, the court could triple this sum.
already used in Suzuki coupling reactions, amination, and arylketones formations but now DHC has confirmed that it can also effect reducing carbonylation reactions. Using aryl halogenides, a single stage reaction using the product generates aromatic aldehydes. These compounds are intermediates used by the pharmaceutical fine chemicals industry. The technology, which uses a di(adamantyl) phosphine ligand, was developed in collaboration with the Leibniz Institute and is more effective whilst more gentle than the traditional process. The process has already been scaled up to industrial level at DHC’s site. Another advantage the process offers is that it does not require large amounts of dangerous raw materials. Info Chimie Magazine, Feb 2006, (469), 33 (in French)
Genzyme reports strong 3Q 2006 financial results Genzyme Corp reported revenue of $808.6 M for 3Q 2006 ($708.1 M in 3Q 2005). GAAP net income was $16 M for 3Q 2006 (GAAP income of $115.7 M in 3Q 2005). Non-GAAP net income for 3Q 2006 increased to $195.9 M (non-GAAP net income of $160.5 M in 3Q 2005). A significant new contributor to Genzyme’s top line is Myozyme (alglucosidase alfa). The product is off to a highly encouraging start following its launch in the US in mid-May 2005 and in Europe a month earlier. Unaudited consolidated statements of operations of the company for three and nine months ended Sep 2005 and 2006, reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP earnings for three months ended Sep 2006, and unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet data as on 31 Dec 2005 and 30 Sep 2006, are given in five enclosed tables.
Dagbladet Borsen, 11 Oct 2006 (Website: http://www.borsen.dk) (in Danish)
Genzyme 3Q and nine months of 2005-2006 results, 12 Oct 2006 (Genzyme Corp, One Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. Tel: +1 617 252 7500. Fax: +1 617 252 7600. Website: http://www.genzyme.com)
New applications for Degussa’s cataCXium A
Grace announces new BioFuel Technologies Group
Degussa’s new start-up company Degussa Homogeneous Catalysts (DHC) has extended the range of catalytic reactions produced by its product cataCXium A. This catalyst is
Grace Davison, an operating segment of WR Grace & Co, has established the BioFuel Technologies Group that will oversee intensified product development in the renewable fuels
3
FOCUS industry. The BioFuel Technologies Group is the flagship project of the Incubator Technology program at Grace that develops technology and products through a combination of R&D and business development. The first areas the BioFuel Technologies Group will focus on include catalysts and adsorbents for enhanced biodiesel and bioethanol production, as well as chromatography-based analytical and quality control tools. Press release from: WR Grace, Columbia, MD, USA. Tel: +1 410 531 419. Website: http://www.grace.com (2 Oct 2006) & Chemical and Engineering News, 9 Oct 2006, 84 (41), 21-22 (Website: http://www.cenonline.org) & Chemical Week, 18 Oct 2006, (Website: http://www.chemweek.com)
Mitsui plans to launch sales of photocatalyst Mitsui Chemicals plans to have its high performance photocatalyst available in the market beginning 1 Apr 2007. The company used its proprietary inorganic nanocontrol process method to develop the material, which is mainly aimed at indoor application. Mitsui is shipping samples to product manufacturers, and will undertake an intense product evaluation. Photocatalyst works by using titanium dioxide’s organic substance decomposition function and its high level of hydrophilicity. One of the traditional applications of photocatalyst is air purifiers, but another emerging application is for the exterior cladding of buildings. Japan Chemical Week, 28 Sep 2006, 47 (2385), 12
Novozymes had good 1H Novozymes had a good 1H 2006 which lived up to expectations. Sales grew by 8% relative to 1% 2005, and productivity and profitability improved. More resources were invested in business development, and various research projects, such as biomassto-ethanol, were prioritised. During 1H 2006, Novozymes acquired the Chinese biopolymer company Huayuan and the UK company Delta Biotechnology, which specialises in recombinant proteins production for biopharmaceuticals. Novozymes has also entered into an agreement with Celliance regarding the possibility of marketing recombinant proteins for cell culture ingredients in the biopharmaceutical industry. In
4
ON
C ATA LY S T S
Australia, Novozymes is planning to acquire GroPep Ltd, which specialises in proteins for cell culture ingredients. The Zymes (Novozymes’ Shareholder Magazine), Sep 2006, 2-3 (The Zymes, Novozymes A/S, Krogshojvej 36, 2880 Bagsvaerd, Denmark. Tel: +45 8824 9999. Fax: +45 8824 9998. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.novozymes.com)
Even more products from Novozymes in 2006 During 1H 2006 Novozymes has launched three new enzyme products and one new micro-organism product. For the whole of 2006, the company now expects to introduce 6-8 new products. In 2005, new products, including products less than five years old, accounted for 30% of total sales. In Jun 2006 Novozymes launched a new enzyme for liquid detergents, Liquanase, which is particularly effective on protein-based stains and which works at just 30°C. A new enzyme for ethanol production was also introduced in Jun 2006, aimed at producers of starch-based ethanol using the cold process, where the producer can skip a step in ethanol production, namely heating the starch to high temperatures. It is therefore a more efficient enzyme. Since Apr 2006 Cerezyme Sorghum has been making it easier for African brewers to make beer. Novozymes has also introduced a new and advanced technology using microbes which has proved effective at removing organic stains and odours from carpet fibres. The Zymes (Novozymes’ Shareholder Magazine), Sep 2006, 12 (The Zymes, Novozymes A/S, Krogshojvej 36, 2880 Bagsvaerd, Denmark. Tel: +45 8824 9999. Fax: +45 8824 9998. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.novozymes.com)
Novozymes results 3Q 2006 Novozymes reported a turnover of DKR 1756 M for 3Q 2006, which was 8% up on 3Q 2005 and 2% above market expectations. The division for washing product enzymes performed surprisingly positively with a 4% increase in sales, mainly through greater sales to third world countries. Operating earnings of DKR 349 M were recorded, compared with a market estimate of DKR 333 M, which meant a generous profit margin of 19.9%. Net Posten, 26 Oct 2006 (Website: http://www.netposten.dk/) (in Danish)
Novozymes benefits from growing market for biofuels In 1-3Q 2006 Novozymes experienced a 20% growth in sales in the area of other technical enzymes, which includes enzymes for fuel ethanol production. This is a positive development for the Danish firm, which is one of the world’s leading suppliers of enzymes for fuel ethanol manufacture, and reflects the growing demand in this area, not least in the US which is keen to find environmentally friendly alternatives to fossil fuel and which accounts for 80-90% of the turnover in the growing market for fuel ethanol. N America was one of the markets in which Novozymes made greatest progress, with an 18% growth in sales in DKR. Dagbladet Borsen, 25 Oct 2006 (Website: http://www.borsen.dk) (in Danish)
Novozymes and Broin collaborate in bioethanol production Novozymes, Denmark, and Broin, US, are expanding their collaboration in the development of a secondgeneration process for the production of ethanol from biomass. The two companies have already successfully collaborated in developing and commercializing new technologies. This includes the enzyme BPX-1 for the starch-based production of bioethanol using the so-called cold process. The partnership involves a combination of Novozymes’ expertise in biotechnology and Broin’s know how in biofuels. Dagbladet Borsen, 26 Oct 2006 (Website: http://www.borsen.dk) (in Danish)
Novozymes forms alliance with Biocatalytics Danish company Novozymes recently formed an alliance with US company Biocatalytics to put their chiral synthesis by biocatalysis resources in common. Biocatalytics will be responsible for marketing the enzymes and will have contracts covering research and process development. Novozymes will be in charge of commercial scale synthesis. There have been several biocatalysis alliances in recent months. In Feb 2006 PCAS and Proteus created a joint venture called PCAS Biosolution
DECEMBER 2006