Toyobo and DMC Biotechnologies to Use Biotechnology to Manufacture Plastic Raw Materials

Toyobo and US biotechnology company DMC Biotechnologies have signed a joint research and development contract to cooperate in the development of sustainable chemical raw materials for general-purpose plastics. The two parties will use synthetic biology technology to improve the production efficiency of key compounds by optimizing the microbial fermentation process and promote their commercialization.

Biomanufacturing technology produces useful substances such as degradable plastics and biofuels under mild conditions through genetic engineering, and has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the use of fossil resources. Despite the high cost of biomanufacturing, Toyobo and DMC have been working together since 2022 with the goal of developing efficient and low-cost production processes.

The "Dynamic Metabolic Control™" technology provided by DMC will optimize the metabolic pathways of microorganisms and improve production efficiency. Toyobo plans to use these biomanufactured compounds in its plastic products and is committed to promoting a decarbonized, circular society under the "2030 Sustainable Development Vision".

The project has also received support from Japan's New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).