METabolic EXplorer S.A.

METabolic EXplorer is a leading industrial biotechnology company focused on the production of bulk chemical intermediates.

The company's strategy is focused on making significant changes to the chemical industry's supply chain by producing bulk chemical intermediates via economically and environmentally attractive production processes.

Industrial biotechnology, also referred to as white biotechnology, is the modern use and application of biotechnology for the sustainable production of chemicals, biomaterials and biofuels from renewable resources, using living cells such as bacteria. Industrial biotech is mainly based on fermentation technology, where bacteria are used as cell factories to produce the desired product. Opportunities in this field are rapidly growing due to the recent advances in genomics, molecular genetics, metabolic engineering, catalysis and bioinformatics, which enable the engineering of new more efficient cell factories.

Industrial biotechnology is based on fermentation uses renewable feedstocks such as starch, cellulose, vegetable oils and agricultural waste to produce a range of products including chemicals, bio-degradable plastics, new fibres and biofuels. Industrial biotechnology therefore provides an alternative approach for the production of chemicals, which is usually based on fossil feedstock such as oil and natural gas. The key advantages of this biotech approach are lower costs and less environmental impact due to the use of more sustainable renewable feedstocks.

Industrial biotechnology is expected to have a major impact on the chemical industry as it can meet some of the most challenging issues in terms of oil prices volatility, security of fossil supply and environmental concerns.