Genomatica announced today its acquisition of certain assets of the REG Life Sciences division of biofuels producer Renewable Energy Group (REG) for an undisclosed sum.  The asset acquisition will reportedly provide Genomatica with its third major product platform, “long chain chemicals”, from renewable feedstocks, with carbon atoms ranging from 8 to 18 and may contain multiple functional groups, resulting in long-chain alcohols, esters, acids, ketones, aldehydes, alkanes, amines, amides and branched products.  These chemicals, typically produced from fats and oils called oleochemicals and also from petrochemicals, are widely used to make products such as surfactants, cosmetics, solvents, polymers, fuels, and food ingredients.

Genomatica said its approach of producing them via fermentation of sugars or biomass-based feedstock will be more sustainable and environment-friendly.  The fermentation approach could also potentially provide these chemicals with new functional attributes.  The selected assets include technology for making drop-in long-chain chemicals and various novel and proprietary products being researched and/or under development.  The core group of REG Life Sciences team will join Genomatica at its San Diego Innovation Centre.  Genomatica will also work with ExxonMobil to move forward the research program for advanced biofuels from biomass that REG Life Sciences started along with Clariant, which recently joined the collaboration.