Minneapolis, October 4th, 2011 – BioCee (www.biocee.com), a Minnesota-based material science and industrial biotechnology company, announced today that it has signed an asset purchase and license agreement to access certain technology from Verenium Corporation (www.verenium.com), a leading industrial biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of high-performance enzymes, for the development of an environmentally-friendly biological method of removing sulfur from oil and oil distillates.

Under terms of the agreement, BioCee is granted access to Verenium’s unique desulfurization organisms and technology. The application of Verenium’s intellectual property by means of BioCee’s proprietary biocoatings will provide the petroleum industry a novel desulfurization system capable of applications beyond the scope of conventional technologies. Verenium will receive a royalty on sales of BioCee’s products that utilize Verenium’s technologies.

Sulfur content in fuels must be limited to maintain air quality and minimize the impact of vehicle exhaust emissions. Compared to conventional desulfurization approaches that rely on energy-intensive chemical processes, biological desulfurization utilizes the action of microorganisms that remove sulfur through their metabolic activity. The BioCee approach relies on organisms embedded in polymeric films that are used to design novel biological reactors. These reactive sulfur “filters” are deployable not only in the refinery, but across the whole oil supply chain – without the need for on-site specialized bioprocessing capabilities and expertise. As world oil supplies move toward higher sulfur crudes, BioCee’s goal is to help oil producers and refiners improve their existing assets utilization and reduce the costs of sulfur removal.

“Compared to other more energy intensive desulfurization processes,” explained BioCee CTO and co-founder Dr. Marc von Keitz, “biodesulfurization occurs with minimal additional inputs of material and energy, and it allows for considerable improvement in the carbon footprint of clean fuel production. The combination of Verenium’s biological expertise with our novel reactor system allows us to offer the industry a truly innovative solution that can cost effectively improve the carbon balance of petroleum production and refining.”

“We are very pleased that our intellectual property and proprietary technology can be leveraged for this important use in the petroleum industry,” said James Levine, President and Chief Executive Officer at Verenium. “We hope this agreement will help advance BioCee’s environmentally beneficial efforts in the biodesulfurization of petroleum and believe it is a further validation of the strength and applicability of our technology and biological assets outside of our core commercial enzyme business.”

The award was featured in comments made by Dr. Steven Chu, US Secretary of Energy, in a press conference today. “We are deeply grateful to the DOE for this honor and for its invaluable support,” said Marc von Keitz, Ph.D., Co-founder, CEO and CTO of BioCee. “We also greatly appreciate the lead role the University of Minnesota has taken in combining technologies into a focused biofuel initiative.” “BioCee’s latex, thin-film coatings – originally developed by Prof. Michael Flickinger while at the University of Minnesota – maintain our unique biocatalysts in a healthy, stable, and productive state,” said Professor Larry Wackett of the University of Minnesota Biotechnology Institute.

“The goal is to build an integrated reactor system that very efficiently converts CO2 into biofuel.” Catalysts are essential throughout industrial technology. Living biocatalysts offer many benefits over chemical catalysts, achieving complex chemistries using less energy and reactants, while producing fewer undesirable by-products. However, biocatalysts are rarely available as off-the-shelf reagents but instead require extensive facilities and specialized staff to grow them, on the site where they are to be used.

BioCee’s patented biocoating technology immobilizes high concentrations of biologically active microorganisms in nanostructured, latex coatings. The thin-film coatings are self-adhesive and can be printed onto a variety of materials. This technology allows the design of application specific reactive systems that are shelf-stable and can easily be shipped from the biocatalyst production site to the point of use, thus greatly expanding the possible uses of microorganisms in industry. This month, BioCee also received a Small Business Innovative Research award by the National Science Foundation (NSF – SBIR) in the amount of $150,000. NSF awards SBIR grants to small businesses for novel research with a potential for commercialization.

The award was featured in comments made by Dr. Steven Chu, US Secretary of Energy, in a press conference today. “We are deeply grateful to the DOE for this honor and for its invaluable support,” said Marc von Keitz, Ph.D., Co-founder, CEO and CTO of BioCee. “We also greatly appreciate the lead role the University of Minnesota has taken in combining technologies into a focused biofuel initiative.” “BioCee’s latex, thin-?lm coatings – originally developed by Prof. Michael Flickinger while at the University of Minnesota – maintain our unique biocatalysts in a healthy, stable, and productive state,” said Professor Larry Wackett of the University of Minnesota Biotechnology Institute.

“The goal is to build an integrated reactor system that very ef?ciently converts CO2 into biofuel.” Catalysts are essential throughout industrial technology. Living biocatalysts offer many bene?ts over chemical catalysts, achieving complex chemistries using less energy and reactants, while producing fewer undesirable by-products. However, biocatalysts are rarely available as off-the-shelf reagents but instead require extensive facilities and specialized staff to grow them, on the site where they are to be used.

BioCee’s patented biocoating technology immobilizes high concentrations of biologically active microorganisms in nanostructured, latex coatings. The thin-?lm coatings are self-adhesive and can be printed onto a variety of materials. This technology allows the design of application speci?c reactive systems that are shelf-stable and can easily be shipped from the biocatalyst production site to the point of use, thus greatly expanding the possible uses of microorganisms in industry. This month, BioCee also received a Small Business Innovative Research award by the National Science Foundation (NSF – SBIR) in the amount of $150,000. NSF awards SBIR grants to small businesses for novel research with a potential for commercialization.

The award was featured in comments made by Dr. Steven Chu, US Secretary of Energy, in a press conference today. “We are deeply grateful to the DOE for this honor and for its invaluable support,” said Marc von Keitz, Ph.D., Co-founder, CEO and CTO of BioCee. “We also greatly appreciate the lead role the University of Minnesota has taken in combining technologies into a focused biofuel initiative.” “BioCee’s latex, thin-?lm coatings – originally developed by Prof. Michael Flickinger while at the University of Minnesota – maintain our unique biocatalysts in a healthy, stable, and productive state,” said Professor Larry Wackett of the University of Minnesota Biotechnology Institute.

“The goal is to build an integrated reactor system that very ef?ciently converts CO2 into biofuel.” Catalysts are essential throughout industrial technology. Living biocatalysts offer many bene?ts over chemical catalysts, achieving complex chemistries using less energy and reactants, while producing fewer undesirable by-products. However, biocatalysts are rarely available as off-the-shelf reagents but instead require extensive facilities and specialized staff to grow them, on the site where they are to be used.

BioCee’s patented biocoating technology immobilizes high concentrations of biologically active microorganisms in nanostructured, latex coatings. The thin-?lm coatings are self-adhesive and can be printed onto a variety of materials. This technology allows the design of application speci?c reactive systems that are shelf-stable and can easily be shipped from the biocatalyst production site to the point of use, thus greatly expanding the possible uses of microorganisms in industry. This month, BioCee also received a Small Business Innovative Research award by the National Science Foundation (NSF – SBIR) in the amount of $150,000. NSF awards SBIR grants to small businesses for novel research with a potential for commercialization.

The award was featured in comments made by Dr. Steven Chu, US Secretary of Energy, in a press conference today. “We are deeply grateful to the DOE for this honor and for its invaluable support,” said Marc von Keitz, Ph.D., Co-founder, CEO and CTO of BioCee. “We also greatly appreciate the lead role the University of Minnesota has taken in combining technologies into a focused biofuel initiative.” “BioCee’s latex, thin-?lm coatings – originally developed by Prof. Michael Flickinger while at the University of Minnesota – maintain our unique biocatalysts in a healthy, stable, and productive state,” said Professor Larry Wackett of the University of Minnesota Biotechnology Institute.

“The goal is to build an integrated reactor system that very ef?ciently converts CO2 into biofuel.” Catalysts are essential throughout industrial technology. Living biocatalysts offer many bene?ts over chemical catalysts, achieving complex chemistries using less energy and reactants, while producing fewer undesirable by-products. However, biocatalysts are rarely available as off-the-shelf reagents but instead require extensive facilities and specialized staff to grow them, on the site where they are to be used.

BioCee’s patented biocoating technology immobilizes high concentrations of biologically active microorganisms in nanostructured, latex coatings. The thin-?lm coatings are self-adhesive and can be printed onto a variety of materials. This technology allows the design of application speci?c reactive systems that are shelf-stable and can easily be shipped from the biocatalyst production site to the point of use, thus greatly expanding the possible uses of microorganisms in industry. This month, BioCee also received a Small Business Innovative Research award by the National Science Foundation (NSF – SBIR) in the amount of $150,000. NSF awards SBIR grants to small businesses for novel research with a potential for commercialization.

The award was featured in comments made by Dr. Steven Chu, US Secretary of Energy, in a press conference today. “We are deeply grateful to the DOE for this honor and for its invaluable support,” said Marc von Keitz, Ph.D., Co-founder, CEO and CTO of BioCee. “We also greatly appreciate the lead role the University of Minnesota has taken in combining technologies into a focused biofuel initiative.” “BioCee’s latex, thin-?lm coatings – originally developed by Prof. Michael Flickinger while at the University of Minnesota – maintain our unique biocatalysts in a healthy, stable, and productive state,” said Professor Larry Wackett of the University of Minnesota Biotechnology Institute.

“The goal is to build an integrated reactor system that very ef?ciently converts CO2 into biofuel.” Catalysts are essential throughout industrial technology. Living biocatalysts offer many bene?ts over chemical catalysts, achieving complex chemistries using less energy and reactants, while producing fewer undesirable by-products. However, biocatalysts are rarely available as off-the-shelf reagents but instead require extensive facilities and specialized staff to grow them, on the site where they are to be used.

BioCee’s patented biocoating technology immobilizes high concentrations of biologically active microorganisms in nanostructured, latex coatings. The thin-?lm coatings are self-adhesive and can be printed onto a variety of materials. This technology allows the design of application speci?c reactive systems that are shelf-stable and can easily be shipped from the biocatalyst production site to the point of use, thus greatly expanding the possible uses of microorganisms in industry. This month, BioCee also received a Small Business Innovative Research award by the National Science Foundation (NSF – SBIR) in the amount of $150,000. NSF awards SBIR grants to small businesses for novel research with a potential for commercialization.

The award was featured in comments made by Dr. Steven Chu, US Secretary of Energy, in a press conference today. “We are deeply grateful to the DOE for this honor and for its invaluable support,” said Marc von Keitz, Ph.D., Co-founder, CEO and CTO of BioCee. “We also greatly appreciate the lead role the University of Minnesota has taken in combining technologies into a focused biofuel initiative.” “BioCee’s latex, thin-?lm coatings – originally developed by Prof. Michael Flickinger while at the University of Minnesota – maintain our unique biocatalysts in a healthy, stable, and productive state,” said Professor Larry Wackett of the University of Minnesota Biotechnology Institute.

“The goal is to build an integrated reactor system that very ef?ciently converts CO2 into biofuel.” Catalysts are essential throughout industrial technology. Living biocatalysts offer many bene?ts over chemical catalysts, achieving complex chemistries using less energy and reactants, while producing fewer undesirable by-products. However, biocatalysts are rarely available as off-the-shelf reagents but instead require extensive facilities and specialized staff to grow them, on the site where they are to be used.

BioCee’s patented biocoating technology immobilizes high concentrations of biologically active microorganisms in nanostructured, latex coatings. The thin-?lm coatings are self-adhesive and can be printed onto a variety of materials. This technology allows the design of application speci?c reactive systems that are shelf-stable and can easily be shipped from the biocatalyst production site to the point of use, thus greatly expanding the possible uses of microorganisms in industry. This month, BioCee also received a Small Business Innovative Research award by the National Science Foundation (NSF – SBIR) in the amount of $150,000. NSF awards SBIR grants to small businesses for novel research with a potential for commercialization.

The award was featured in comments made by Dr. Steven Chu, US Secretary of Energy, in a press conference today. “We are deeply grateful to the DOE for this honor and for its invaluable support,” said Marc von Keitz, Ph.D., Co-founder, CEO and CTO of BioCee. “We also greatly appreciate the lead role the University of Minnesota has taken in combining technologies into a focused biofuel initiative.” “BioCee’s latex, thin-?lm coatings – originally developed by Prof. Michael Flickinger while at the University of Minnesota – maintain our unique biocatalysts in a healthy, stable, and productive state,” said Professor Larry Wackett of the University of Minnesota Biotechnology Institute.

“The goal is to build an integrated reactor system that very ef?ciently converts CO2 into biofuel.” Catalysts are essential throughout industrial technology. Living biocatalysts offer many bene?ts over chemical catalysts, achieving complex chemistries using less energy and reactants, while producing fewer undesirable by-products. However, biocatalysts are rarely available as off-the-shelf reagents but instead require extensive facilities and specialized staff to grow them, on the site where they are to be used.

BioCee’s patented biocoating technology immobilizes high concentrations of biologically active microorganisms in nanostructured, latex coatings. The thin-?lm coatings are self-adhesive and can be printed onto a variety of materials. This technology allows the design of application speci?c reactive systems that are shelf-stable and can easily be shipped from the biocatalyst production site to the point of use, thus greatly expanding the possible uses of microorganisms in industry. This month, BioCee also received a Small Business Innovative Research award by the National Science Foundation (NSF – SBIR) in the amount of $150,000. NSF awards SBIR grants to small businesses for novel research with a potential for commercialization.

The award was featured in comments made by Dr. Steven Chu, US Secretary of Energy, in a press conference today. “We are deeply grateful to the DOE for this honor and for its invaluable support,” said Marc von Keitz, Ph.D., Co-founder, CEO and CTO of BioCee. “We also greatly appreciate the lead role the University of Minnesota has taken in combining technologies into a focused biofuel initiative.” “BioCee’s latex, thin-?lm coatings – originally developed by Prof. Michael Flickinger while at the University of Minnesota – maintain our unique biocatalysts in a healthy, stable, and productive state,” said Professor Larry Wackett of the University of Minnesota Biotechnology Institute.

“The goal is to build an integrated reactor system that very ef?ciently converts CO2 into biofuel.” Catalysts are essential throughout industrial technology. Living biocatalysts offer many bene?ts over chemical catalysts, achieving complex chemistries using less energy and reactants, while producing fewer undesirable by-products. However, biocatalysts are rarely available as off-the-shelf reagents but instead require extensive facilities and specialized staff to grow them, on the site where they are to be used.

BioCee’s patented biocoating technology immobilizes high concentrations of biologically active microorganisms in nanostructured, latex coatings. The thin-?lm coatings are self-adhesive and can be printed onto a variety of materials. This technology allows the design of application speci?c reactive systems that are shelf-stable and can easily be shipped from the biocatalyst production site to the point of use, thus greatly expanding the possible uses of microorganisms in industry. This month, BioCee also received a Small Business Innovative Research award by the National Science Foundation (NSF – SBIR) in the amount of $150,000. NSF awards SBIR grants to small businesses for novel research with a potential for commercialization.

The award was featured in comments made by Dr. Steven Chu, US Secretary of Energy, in a press conference today. “We are deeply grateful to the DOE for this honor and for its invaluable support,” said Marc von Keitz, Ph.D., Co-founder, CEO and CTO of BioCee. “We also greatly appreciate the lead role the University of Minnesota has taken in combining technologies into a focused biofuel initiative.” “BioCee’s latex, thin-?lm coatings – originally developed by Prof. Michael Flickinger while at the University of Minnesota – maintain our unique biocatalysts in a healthy, stable, and productive state,” said Professor Larry Wackett of the University of Minnesota Biotechnology Institute.

“The goal is to build an integrated reactor system that very ef?ciently converts CO2 into biofuel.” Catalysts are essential throughout industrial technology. Living biocatalysts offer many bene?ts over chemical catalysts, achieving complex chemistries using less energy and reactants, while producing fewer undesirable by-products. However, biocatalysts are rarely available as off-the-shelf reagents but instead require extensive facilities and specialized staff to grow them, on the site where they are to be used.

BioCee’s patented biocoating technology immobilizes high concentrations of biologically active microorganisms in nanostructured, latex coatings. The thin-?lm coatings are self-adhesive and can be printed onto a variety of materials. This technology allows the design of application speci?c reactive systems that are shelf-stable and can easily be shipped from the biocatalyst production site to the point of use, thus greatly expanding the possible uses of microorganisms in industry. This month, BioCee also received a Small Business Innovative Research award by the National Science Foundation (NSF – SBIR) in the amount of $150,000. NSF awards SBIR grants to small businesses for novel research with a potential for commercialization.