September 15, 2006 Purdue Research Foundation seeks partners for ethanol-related technology WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue Research Foundation issued a formal call today (Friday, Sept. 15) for proposals from companies interested in licensing and commercializing recombinant yeasts capable of more effectively producing ethanol from agricultural residues. During the 1980s and 1990s, researchers at Purdue University's Laboratory of Renewable Resources Engineering, or LORRE, altered the genetic structure of Saccharomyces yeast. These changes enabled the yeasts to convert the two major sugars found in cellulosic materials, glucose and xylose, into ethanol. The ability to ferment both sugars makes ethanol processing more cost-competitive with gasoline. "The yeast has been demonstrated to be very well-adapted to industrial applications,” said Joseph B. Hornett, senior vice president, treasurer and COO of Purdue Research Foundation. Hornett oversees the Office of Technology Commercialization, which protects, markets and licenses Purdue's intellectual property. "In addition to dramatically increasing the production of ethanol, the use of cellulosic materials can open up new markets for crop residues such as corn stover and new crops, such as switch grass, which can be grown on marginal lands." The request for proposals (RFP) seeks business partners that can develop and market the existing yeasts as well as develop new and improved derivatives from the existing yeasts for value-added applications. The RFP process requires receipt of a letter of intent from interested potential licensees by Oct. 15 and receipt of full proposal submissions by Nov. 15. More information regarding the technology can be found by visiting the OTC Web site's available technologies listing and then searching for the Purdue Research Foundation identifying numbers, which are No. 93023 and No. 95083. This technology is protected under U.S. Patent No. 5,789,210 (with corresponding foreign patents/applications in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Great Britain, Finland, Italy, Poland, Spain and the Ukraine) and U.S. Patent Application No. 09/180,340 (with corresponding foreign patents/applications in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Indonesia, India, Japan, Mexico, Philippines and the Ukraine). The first, non-exclusive license for the yeast was issued to the Canadian biotechnology company Iogen Corp. in 2004. To respond to this RFP, mail or fax your letter of intent and proposal by the deadlines to Mark Krivchenia, Technology Manager, Office of Technology Commercialization, Purdue Research Foundation, 3000 Kent Ave., West Lafayette, IN, 47906. For questions regarding the submission process, contact Krivchenia at (765) 494-6149, (765) 496-1277 (fax) or mpkrivchenia@prf.org. Writer: Jeanine S. Phipps, media relations, Purdue Research Foundation, (765) 494-0748 (office); (765) 413-5579 (mobile) Related news release: Purdue yeast makes ethanol from agricultural waste more effectively To the Purdue Research Park web site