BRAIN Biotech and Formo: Strategic partnership of European biotech experts for the production of animal-free milk protein
- BRAIN Biotech to help Formo scale production of bioidentical milk protein with proprietary genome editing technology
- Collaboration to revolutionize the $700 billion dairy market
BRAIN Biotech AG and Formo Bio GmbH are launching a strategic collaboration to further advance the production of animal-free milk proteins. BRAIN Biotech is a leading industrial biotechnology company, Formo is a pioneering food-tech startup in the space of alternative milk protein. As experts in their field, the two biotech companies are powering European innovation.
Formo will scale up their bioidentical milk protein production with a genome editing technology, leveraging BRAIN Biotech's expertise and its proprietary BEC platform. The strategic alliance aims to optimize the microorganisms to further expand novel and sustainable protein production for commercial use through precision fermentation.
Formo is introducing an entirely novel product category alongside both animal-derived products and plant-based alternatives: The Berlin-based startup develops identical milk proteins with specialized microorganisms. As the first European company, Formo strives to revolutionize the $700 billion dairy market while cutting down on gigatons of CO2 emissions. Formo builds on the increasing demand for sustainable food among consumers: Recently, the company conducted a consumer survey confirming that 79 percent of consumers are willing to try animal-free cheese products.
"We are proud to be partnering with BRAIN; such a renowned company with which we share our passion for biotechnology and the mission to foster sustainability: using precision fermentation, we can remove the cow from the dairy supply chain, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 91 to 97 percent," said Dr. Britta Winterberg, Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Formo. "With the expertise of top-notch scientists in our team and with a dedicated partner in strain engineering, our products can be the first of their kind produced on an industrial scale and offered at competitive prices. By partnering with BRAIN, we can establish our role as a global market leader at a more rapid pace."
"We are looking forward to providing Formo with our genome editing expertise and proprietary BEC nuclease to support their strain development for the production of animal-free cheese products. Precision fermentation is an example of how genome editing technology can be used to generate a protein that is nature-identical but can be produced more sustainably than animal protein," said Dr. Michael Krohn, Head of R&D at BRAIN Biotech AG.
"Formo is a pioneer in many respects. Their agile decision-making processes, their candid approach to negotiations and their clear ideas on how to market their products in Europe make Formo an ideal strategic partner for BRAIN. Combined with our technological expertise, this results in a unique partnership," said Dr. Martin Langer, EVP and Head of Business Development at BRAIN Biotech AG.
Contact Formo Bio GmbH:
Kara ten Hoevel
Communications Manager
Phone: +49 152 59189340
Email: press@formo.bio
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About BRAIN
BRAIN Biotech AG is a leading European supplier of bio-based products and solutions such as enzymes and proteins, microbial production strains, natural compounds and biotechnological solutions for more sustainable industrial processes. The company focuses on the fields of nutrition, health and environment.
BRAIN Biotech AG is the parent company of the international BRAIN Biotech Group. The Group's business activities are divided into three segments: The BioProducts segment comprises the product business with specialty enzymes and other proteins, for which the Group operates fermentation facilities in the United Kingdom and production facilities in continental Europe and the United States. The BioScience segment offers research-intensive custom solutions based on enzyme technology, strain development, bioprocess development and natural product screening. The BioIncubator segment conducts its own R&D projects or those initiated with partners with high value-added potential. A particularly promising incubator project is the development of the Company's own CRISPR-based gene editing technology platform, which is currently being established and expanded by Akribion Genomics (in foundation planning).
Through its own R&D activities, BRAIN Biotech Group is continuously expanding its product portfolio in the field of specialty enzymes and small molecules. The latter are the starting point for screenings, e.g. for novel drug candidates for pharmaceutical applications.
BRAIN Biotech AG has been listed on the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since February 9, 2016 (ticker symbol: BNN; securities identification number: ISIN DE0005203947 / WKN 520394). The company employs approximately 330 people and generated revenues of EUR 55,3 million in the fiscal year 2022/23.
For more information, please visit: https://www.brain-biotech.com, LinkedIn, Threads and YouTube.
About Formo
Formo is a FoodTech company on a mission to bring the next generation of dairy products to consumers. The startup is Europe's first cellular agriculture company developing animal-free dairy products using real, nature-identical milk proteins derived from precision fermentation. In 2019, the startup was founded by Dr. Britta Winterberg and Raffael Wohlgensinger to create a more sustainable and ethical food system where change is not initiated through consumer sacrifice but rather through hedonistic products that are deliciously high-tech. For more information, please visit: www.formo.bio
Disclaimer
This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements reflect the current views, expectations, and assumptions of the management of BRAIN Biotech AG, and are based on information currently available to the management. Forward-looking statements are no guarantees of future performance, and entail both known and unknown risks as well as uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Numerous factors exist that could influence the future performance of and future developments at BRAIN Biotech AG and the BRAIN Biotech Group. Such factors include, but are not limited to, changes in the general economic and competitive environment, risks associated with capital markets, currency exchange rate fluctuations, changes in international and national laws and regulations, in particular with respect to tax laws and regulations, as well as other factors. BRAIN Biotech AG does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.