PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Genencor International, Inc., a world leading industrial biotechnology company, has secured a $2 million contract from the U.S. Department of Defense to develop a universal enzyme-based decontamination solution targeting chemical and biological warfare agents, including protein-based toxins such as ricin.
“With continuing threats of terrorism facing the world today, the military and first responder communities want a universal method for decontamination,” said Thomas J. Pekich, president of Genencor. “This initiative was sponsored by U.S. Representative Thomas M. Reynolds, (R-NY), who understands the contributions industrial biotechnology can make to homeland security.”
Through the initiation of this contract and a Collaborative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical and Biological Center (ECBC), Genencor and ECBC will cooperate to discover and develop enzymes capable of decontaminating a broad array of chemical and biological weapons like mustard gas, anthrax and protein toxins like botulism and ricin. As part of the CRADA, scientists from Genencor and ECBC will scan existing enzyme strains, libraries and proprietary delivery systems to find and develop those able to decontaminate weapon agents. Products developed through the collaboration will be scaled up and manufactured at Genencor’s Rochester, N.Y. facility.
Previous collaborative work between the two organizations led to the commercialization of Genencor’s DEFENZ(TM) line of products -- an enzyme-based decontaminate product capable of breaking down specific organophosphate type materials including G-type chemical warfare nerve agents like sarin.
“By combining our proprietary enzyme libraries, protein engineering and delivery systems with ECBC’s expertise with weapon agents, we believe we can bring new products to the market quickly and effectively,” Pekich added.
Enzymes are proteins that help a chemical reaction take place specifically, quickly and efficiently. Enzymes offer a number of advantages over traditional harsh and caustic chemical decontaminants including being water soluble, environmentally benign, non-flammable and non-corrosive.
About Genencor
Genencor International, a Danisco company, is a leading industrial biotechnology company that develops innovative enzymes and bioproducts to improve the performance and reduce the environmental impact of the cleaning, textiles, fuels and chemicals industries.
Genencor International, Inc.
CONTACT: Angie Blackwell of Genencor International, +1-585-256-6973
Web site: http://www.genencor.com/
