Danish biotech players join forces in new centre

Danish businesses are among the world's leading biotech companies, and Danish biotech research is internationally recognised. With growing competition from other countries, the new research centre in Kalundborg is to help Denmark maintain and expand its position.

Initially, BIOPRO is a 2-year collaborative project between leading biotech businesses and universities for the development of solutions to some of the challenges facing biotech manufacturing. It is the ambition to reduce the consumption of raw materials and energy sharply while at the same time markedly increasing the yield.

As a result, production will become more sustainable and the industry more competitive. This will help create the basis for new jobs in biotech manufacturing and a number of related industries and services.

Managing Director of BIOPRO, Jesper Bryde-Jacobsen, describes the project as groundbreaking on an international level:

"Firstly, the Partners behind the collaboration are heavyweights in their respective industries and, secondly, by locating the project in Region Zealand, Denmark, we get access to the plants of CP Kelco, DONG Energy, Novo Nordisk and Novozymes where we can conduct full-scale tests. Such a tight coupling between research and manufacture is unique."

"Therefore, we expect to be able to attract international businesses and researchers who can contribute to the further development of the technology. It is the ambition to create an international cluster as it is known from the IT industry," says Jesper Bryde-Jacobsen and gives Region Zealand credit for facilitating the project by providing regional development funds.

BIOPRO will be officially inaugurated by HRH Crown Prince Frederik and Minister for Business and Growth Annette Vilhelmsen today at 10:00 am. Initially, BIOPRO will be located at Novo Nordisk's and Novozymes' production plants in Kalundborg and will have around 20 project staff.

Worth knowing:

The Partners behind BIOPRO are CP Kelco, DONG Energy, Novo Nordisk and Novozymes as well as the Technical University of Denmark and the University of Copenhagen.

BIOPRO is managed by the innovation and development company CAT, and the project is financed by Region Zealand, the EU and the Partners.

Initially, BIOPRO will be located at Novo Nordisk's and Novozymes' production plants in Kalundborg and will have around 20 project staff.

To start with, the project receives around DKK 40 million.

CAT is a unique mixture of innovation and development. Since 1998, CAT has invested and facilitated investments of up to DKK 900 million in more than 100 businesses. In addition, CAT plays a key role in the business development of Region Zealand and is the project manager of BIOPRO.

www.catscience.dk

From the world's largest pectin production plant, located in Lille Skensved, CP Kelko supplies a major share of the pectin and carrageenan used in global food production. Pectin is extracted from citrus peel, while carrageenan is made on the basis of seaweed. The end products are used to provide food, pharmaceuticals etc. the desired texture.

www.cpkelco.com

The world's second largest demonstration plant is located in Kalundborg, and DONG Energy has a global edge in the development of second-generation bioethanol. Bioethanol is alcohol derived from, for instance, straw and can replace petrol as fuel. The processing of straw and other agricultural residues is based on an extraction and fertilisation process as it is known from the other biotech businesses forming part of the Partners behind BIOPRO.

www.dongenergy.com

The Center for Process Engineering and Technology, PROCESS, under the Technical University of Denmark, DTU, is internationally renowned for its research aimed at the development and implementation of the next generation sustainable processes in the chemical, bio-based and pharmaceutical industries. PROCESS works at the interface between several disciplines, including biotechnology, process engineering, chemistry and systems engineering.

www.dtu.dk

The Department of Food Science at the University of Copenhagen is a globally leading research unit for the development of multivariate spectroscopic measuring methods for on-line monitoring and optimisation of bioprocesses in the food, pharmaceutical and biotech industries.

www.ku.dk

Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company with 89 years of innovation and leadership in diabetes care. The company also has leading positions within haemophilia care, growth hormone therapy and hormone replacement therapy. Novo Nordisk employs approximately 33,900 employees in 75 countries, and markets its products in more than 190 countries. The plants in Kalundborg are Novo Nordisk's largest production facilities, and a major share of the world's insulin is produced at this site.

www.novonordisk.com

Novozymes is a world leader in bioinnovation. Together with customers in a number of industries we create tomorrow's industrial biological solutions to improve our customers' business and the exploitation of the world's resources. With more than 700 products in 130 countries, Novozymes' bioinnovations improve the results of the industry while at the same time securing the world's resources thanks to superior, sustainable solutions to tomorrow's market needs. Novozymes has production facilities several places in the world and the plant in Kalundborg handles the largest and most advanced enzyme production in the world.

www.novozymes.com