Deinove: the industrialization process of the carotenoids program enters phase II

DEINOVE: THE INDUSTRIALIZATION PROCESS OF THE CAROTENOIDS PROGRAM ENTERS PHASE II

• Phase I of the program selected the first carotenoid molecule to be produced on an industrial scale in 2018.
• The yields obtained in 20-liter fermenters have increased tenfold and are superior to the target yields.
• After extraction, the molecule produced has demonstrated both its safety and its antioxidant and healing properties for use in cosmetics and health products.
• The program now enters the phase II, which aims to define the parameters of implementation of the industrial process and to launch the pilot phase.

Montpellier, 05 July 2017 (6:00pm CEST) - DEINOVE (Euronext Growth Paris: ALDEI), a biotech company that discovers, develops, and produces high-value compounds from rare bacteria, notably from the Deinococcus genus, announced the continuation of the industrialization of its carotenoid production process.

In November 2016, DEINOVE launched the shift from laboratory to industrial scale, accompanied by the company Processium^[1]. The first phase of this program consisted of:

• Selecting and characterizing a first carotenoid that will be market-ready, validating both its biological properties and its economic potential;
• Optimizing the production strain and increasing the yields in the laboratory, with a view to obtaining a strain suitable for industrial production;
• Evaluating the various extraction processes in order to define the best one in industrial production conditions.

This phase I has been conducted successfully.

• A first molecule has been selected for its innovative feature, with the goal of obtaining a competitive advantage on the market. DEINOVE has demonstrated its total safety, but also its antioxidant and healing properties, which position this first molecule as particularly favorable for cosmetic applications.
• The carotenoid-producing strain was optimized and tested in fermenters of up to 20 liters. The yields obtained were significantly higher than the target yields, ensuring the economic viability of the production process.
• The work carried out with the company Processium led to the evaluation of various extraction and purification techniques available on the market. It is now necessary to validate the performance of these techniques in order to prepare the transition to the industrial scale. The first laboratory-scale tests yielded an extract with a purity level suited for an actual commercialization.

The quality of the results obtained makes it possible to start phase II of this program, which aims to validate all the technical conditions and to select the subcontractors best suited for production at an industrial scale. This phase II should continue until the end of 2017 and lead to the production of the first batches of this carotenoid.

Marie BEZENGER, Director of Operations for DEINOVE, said: "Our Carotenoids program confirms its industrial potential: we have achieved particularly promising performances, exceeding our expectations. We are now working on accelerating the production of the first carotenoid batches."

Emmanuel PETIOT, CEO of DEINOVE adds: "We are moving forward with the goal of bringing our first molecule to market during 2018. In parallel with the development of the program, we are actively preparing this commercial launch by thoroughly working on marketing and setting up contacts with several potential industrial customers, mainly in the field of cosmetics, which seem perfectly adapted to kick-off the commercialization of this molecule."

ABOUT DEINOVE

DEINOVE (Euronext Growth Paris: ALDEI) is a biotech company that discovers, develops and produces compounds with industrial value from rare microorganisms, for the healthcare, nutrition and cosmetics markets.
These innovative production methods represent a sustainable and competitive alternative.
For this, DEINOVE relies on two key assets:

• A unique strain bank with 6,000 rare bacteria that have not yet been exploited, mainly of the Deinococcus genus;
• A genetic, metabolic and fermentation engineering platform that enables them to customize these natural micro-factories, transforming them into new industry standards.

Based in Montpellier, DEINOVE employs approximately 50 employees and has nearly 160 international patent applications. The Company has been listed on Euronext Growth since April 2010.

More information on www.deinove.com

Contacts

^[1] Press release of November 14, 2016

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