Genomatica is establishing a rich pipeline of sustainable bioprocesses that enable cost-advantaged manufacturing of large industrial chemicals from carbohydrate and other favorable feedstocks using novel microorganisms. The Company’s bio-manufacturing processes target chemicals with large existing markets that collectively address major segments of the chemical value chain.  The focus of the current target class of chemicals are those made from the products of large petrochemical crackers.  They are commonly referred to in the chemical industry as “Cracker-Plus-One” products or chemical intermediates.

In the world today, oil and gas based feedstocks, also known as hydrocarbons, comprise over 90% of the industry’s feedstock base.  These raw materials are typically processed in ethylene (or steam) crackers where they produce the foundational building blocks for the industry. These building blocks include chemicals such as ethylene, propylene, benzene, butadiene, toluene, xylenes, and methane.  Large, expensive and often highly integrated chemical processing facilities transform these cracker products into a wide variety of derivatives, the “Cracker-Plus-One” chemicals. 

Cracker-Plus-One chemical products serve significant, established markets, where typically their demand is measured in the billions of pounds per year.  Manufacturing industries producing computers, electronics, automobiles, furnishings, construction, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, solar panels, food, and packaging, all depend on these chemicals and derivative plastics for their existence. Even natural materials such as leather, cotton, wood, glass, paper, and copper are treated, extracted, grown or finished with the assistance of chemicals.

Genomatica is altering the current manufacturing paradigm with the introduction of alternative feedstocks that can be used to produce these same Cracker-Plus-One chemicals.  By leveraging its knowledge of the chemical industry, as well as its technology platform, Genomatica has selected the optimal combination of feedstocks, microorganisms, and overall process designs in order to produce targeted chemicals in a cost-advantaged manner.