The biofabrication company announced that it will be joining forces with Evonik, a leader in microbial fermentation, as it prepares for commercial scale production of its bioleather materials.

Nutley, New Jersey, March 9, 2018–Modern Meadow, the company pioneering biofabricated materials, today announced a long term partnership with Evonik, a global leader in microbial fermentation, to scale up their fermentation and collagen production. Under the agreement, Evonik will be Modern Meadow’s worldwide development partner to industrialize and scale-up collagen production for use in the company’s bioleather materials technology.Moving beyond a joint development agreement, the companies will be working together in partnership to improve the fermentation process. They will also be optimizing the yeast organisms for higher yield of collagen, leaving open the door for future collaborations in developing other proteins.“This announcement marks a historic moment for us, as we look to scale fermentation on an order of magnitude that will enable us to move into commercial production” said Dave Williamson, Modern Meadow CTO. “Evonik is a clear leader in microbial fermentation, and their innovation and production capacity convinced us that they are the right partner for this critical program.”Modern Meadow’s technology utilizes processes including yeast fermentation and biofabrication to create bioleather materials. Designed to sit alongside traditional leather and synthetics, Zoa bioleather materials are innovative, advanced materials which can be combined with other natural or man-made materials to offer new aesthetic and performance properties.Evonik will leverage more than three decades of expertise in the development, scale-up and commercial production of fermentation-based products to optimize Modern Meadow’s fermentation strains and processes and bring collagen protein biofabrication to commercial scale.“We at Evonik are honored and excited to have been selected to take part in this highly innovative program, which will see Modern Meadow’s bold vision come to life through the production of new bioleather materials addressing unmet customer needs,” said Dr. Jean-Luc Herbeaux, Head of the Business Line Health Care of Evonik. “We look forward to working with Modern Meadow on the scale-up and industrialization of their advanced collagen biofabrication technology.”About EvonikEvonik is one of the world leaders in specialty chemicals. The focus on more specialty businesses, customer-orientated innovative prowess and a trustful and performance-oriented corporate culture form the heart of Evonik’s corporate strategy. They are the lever for profitable growth and a sustained increase in the value of the company. Evonik benefits specifically from its customer proximity and leading market positions. Evonik is active in over 100 countries around the world with more than 36,000 employees. In fiscal 2017, the enterprise generated sales of €14.4 billion and an operating profit (adjusted EBITDA) of €2.36 billion.About Modern Meadow Inc.Modern Meadow is pioneering biologically advanced materials. The company harnesses the power of design, biology, and engineering to produce the world’s first bioleather materials, ZoaTM. Modern Meadow materials enable new design and performance possibilities and by partnering with some of the world’s most cherished and innovative consumer brands aims to bring new life to the material world.Their unique and diverse team numbers over 70 people with expertise in molecular biology, material science, engineering and design. Modern Meadow is proud to have the support of world class investors such as Horizons Ventures, Iconiq Capital, ARTIS Ventures, Temasek, Breakout Ventures and Tony Fadell. For more information, please visit www.modernmeadow.com or contact press@modernmeadow.com

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Source: http://www.modernmeadow.com/press-release/modern-meadow-partners-with-evonik-to-grow-fermentation-processes-to-commercial-scale/