Brain and Bayer Schering Pharma cooperation

Brain AG (Zwingenberg; www.brain-biotech.de) Bayer Schering Pharma AG (Bergkamen, both Germany; www.bayerscheringpharma.de) are cooperating in the field of production process optimization of steroid compounds. The goal of the collaboration is the energy-efficient and thus sustainable fermentative production of steroid compounds using optimized microbial production strains taking plant-derived raw materials as starting material. Plants and their containing steroidal components represent an economic and sustainable source of pharmaceutical raw material and intermediates. Today, for further optimization of the steroidal intermediates, more and more microbial processes as whole cell biocatalyst reactors are being used besides chemical methods. Within the strategic collaboration announced today, existing production processes will be optimized using highly developed microorganisms. With these so-called “designer bugs” it is the goal, to achieve a higher yield by a reduced energy input. This will lead to an increase of efficiency in the production process coupled to a reduction of the output of greenhouse gases.    “On a long term as a company we can only be successful, when our economic action is in line…