Metabolix Awarded Two U.S. Patents for Technology to Produce Biobased Polymers and Industrial Chemicals

Metabolix, Inc. MBLX today announced that the company has been awarded two new patents from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) related to the novel and efficient production of biobased polymers and industrial chemicals. U.S. Patent 8,093,022 titled “Polyhydroxalkanoate Biopolymer Compositions” enables production of a series of new PHA biopolymer compositions using genetically engineered microbial strains. U.S. Patent 8,114,643 titled “Polyhydroxalkanoate Production from Polyols” enables creation of genetic constructs to make the biobased chemical 3-hydroxypropionic acid in microbial and crop plant systems. It also describes the use of polyols, including glycerol and sugars, as alternate, renewable feedstocks. 3-Hydroxypropionic acid is useful for the production of PHA polymers and C3 chemicals including biobased acrylic acid, malonic acid, esters and amines.