BOULDER, CO--(Marketwire - March 31, 2010) -
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OPX Biotechnologies, Inc. (OPXBIO), a renewable biochemical and biofuel company, has appointed Hans Liao, Ph. D., as director of metabolic engineering. Mr. Liao has over 25 years of experience in using and developing molecular tools to generate novel metabolic capabilities. He will lead OPXBIO’s efforts to optimize its biocatalyst for the production of bioacrylic, the company’s first product.
“Hans brings critical knowledge and experience to our development efforts,” said Michael Lynch, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer at OPXBIO. “Hans’ expertise in metabolic engineering and development of new-to-the-world platform chemicals from renewable sources will be invaluable to OPXBIO as we optimize our microbes for the commercial production of bioacrylic.”
“I am very excited about OPXBIO’s potential to compete with petroleum-based chemicals and fuels on a cost basis,” said Hans Liao, OPXBIO’s Director Metabolic Engineering. “The company’s EDGE™ technology platform is industry leading and allows OPXBIO to design microbes and bioprocesses for the production of bio-based chemicals and fuels faster than traditional approaches.”
Prior to OPXBIO, Hans worked on industrial biotechnology at Synergen, Draths Corporation, Cargill Incorporated, and academic institutions including the University of Wisconsin Biotechnology Center. Hans holds a Ph. D. in biochemistry from the University of California, Berkeley.
Lynch added, “I am confident that under Hans’ leadership, OPXBIO will continue to be on the cutting edge of metabolic engineering.”
About OPXBIO
OPXBIO is a Colorado-based company using biotechnology to convert renewable raw materials into biochemicals and biofuels. Applying its EDGE™ (Efficiency Directed Genome Engineering) technology, OPXBIO will manufacture bio-based products that are more economical and sustainable than petroleum-based alternatives. OPXBIO has already demonstrated laboratory-scale production of several different biochemicals and biofuels using renewable biomass as well as carbon dioxide and hydrogen feedstock. The company currently is producing bioacrylic at pilot scale in advance of opening a demonstration plant in 2011 and a full-scale commercial plant in 2013. The company also is developing strategic partnerships and joint ventures for commercialization.
OPXBIO has raised $22.4 million with venture investors Mohr Davidow Ventures, Braemar Energy Ventures, Altira Group, and X/Seed Capital.
For more information, visit http://www.opxbio.com.
Media Contact:
Lisa Hempel
Cohn Marketing
303.839.1415 ext. 52
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