Goethe University Frankfurt spin-out Butalco has been acquired by French yeast producer Lesaffre.
Butalco, a biotech spun out of Goethe University Frankfurt, has been acquired by Lesaffre, a yeast producer and fermentation specialist based in northern France. Butalco commercialised an isobutanol based on yeast, which can be used as a biofuel.
As part of the acquisition deal, Butalco will be a subsidiary of the recently established Lesaffre Advance Fermenation (Leaf) Technologies department. The spin-out will continue conducting its research and development at the university’s Institute for Molecular Biosciences.
The spin-out was created in 2007 by Eckhard Boles, professor of molecular biosciences, and funded by investor Gunter Festel. Lesaffre is a global yeast producer with 40 offices throughout the world. It currently employs about 7,700 people.
The collaboration between Butalco and Lesaffre dates back to 2012, when the French company first licensed Butalco’s patent for yeast that turns xylose – a type of sugar – into biofuel.
Eckhard Boles said: “Soon after the incorporation of Butalco, we registered two patents relating to the production of isobutanol. Butalco then purchased a further four products, which I had developed earlier to ferment waste sugars, from the university. We also signed research contracts with Goethe University.”
