EKB Technology Ltd - New Spinout Company From Oxford University
January 2005
EKB Technology Ltd has recently been spun out from the University of Oxford to commercialise a revolutionary Bioprocessing Technology developed in conjunction with C-Tech Innovation Ltd. Bioprocessing technologies involve the use of biological systems such as plant and animal cells and microorganisms to modify, produce or purify chemical intermediates and are a critical part of the chemical industries £1.2tn annual manufacture and sale of almost all commercially important products.
Many of the processes used today by the chemical industry and the manufacturers of chemical intermediates produce large volumes of waste and are inefficient, utilise extreme temperature and pressure conditions and make extensive use of non-renewable petroleum-based feedstock's. In addition, the purification and packaging of the desired end product from the initial reaction mixture can account for as much as 70% of the overall cost of producing the desired chemical.
EKB Technology Ltd has a patented bioprocessing technology that could revolutionise the way many chemicals are manufactured today. The EKB™ Platform Technology can be used to eliminate the bulk of the stages involved in product purification and clean up by combining the production and recovery of chemicals into a single step process. The EKB™ Platform Technology has been demonstrated at the laboratory scale, for example to produce commercially important l-lactic acid. L-lactic acid is a widely used material and has been used in the manufacture of biodegradable polymers and in particular biodegradable plastics. Using the EKB™ Platform Technology the production and purification of L-Lactic acid was achieved in a single step, drastically reducing the need for the currently required expensive and extensive downstream processing step used by manufacturers.
The EKB™ Platform Technology has the potential to reduce the amount of waste currently generated by many chemical manufacturing processes, allows the water used in chemical production to be recycled, reduce and in some instances eliminate the use of hazardous solvents from the manufacturing process as well as permitting cost effective manufacture of currently difficult to make speciality chemicals for use in drug synthesis.
If you are interested in learning more about EKB Technology Ltd and its unique, patented bioprocessing technology then contact:
Dr Mike Wright on 01235 838616 or 0795 222 5583, (e-mail: mike.wright@ekbtechnology.com)
Professor Chris Knowles on 01865 274589 (e-mail: chris.knowles@ekbtechnology.com).
Notes to the Editor:
- Main contact: Dr Mike Wright. E-mail: mike.wright@ekbtechnology.com;
Phone: 01235 838616 or mobile 0795 222 5583.
- About Isis Innovation Ltd: Isis Innovation Ltd is the technology transfer company from Oxford University. They act as a facilitator of new ideas from university academics to the commercial world. Isis has been responsible for licensing over 120 novel inventions a year and has been involved with setting up over 30 spinout companies in the last 7 years. Web: www.isis-innovation.com
- The University of Oxford is the oldest university in the English-speaking world and lays claim to nine centuries of continuous existence. As an internationally renowned centre for teaching and research, Oxford attracts students and scholars from across the globe, with almost a quarter of its students from overseas. More than 130 nationalities are represented among a student population of over 16,000. Web: www.ox.ac.uk
- About C-Tech Innovation: C-Tech Innovation is an independent technology, development and multidisciplinary consultancy company, that helps customers with research and commercialisation of innovative products and processes. Its activities include research and development, technology consulting, due diligence and intellectual property management. C-Tech has been providing innovative services to companies, universities and governmental bodies for more than 30 years and its worldwide client base reaches across all sectors of industry and commerce. Web: www.ctechinnovation.com