Algentech

Algentech, founded in 2009, is a French biotechnology firm specializing in synthetic biology and plant gene-editing technologies. The company was established by Dr. Alexander Sorokin and Dr. Isabelle Malcuit, both of whom have extensive backgrounds in plant genetics and biotechnology. Dr. Sorokin holds a PhD in plant genetics and has experience as a group leader at the Sainsbury Laboratory and Head of Innovation at Plant Bioscience Ltd. Dr. Malcuit earned her PhD in plant virology and was a senior research associate at the Sainsbury Laboratory prior to co-founding Algentech. Their collective expertise in genetics and functional genomics underpins the company's core technologies.

The company operates by developing and commercializing its proprietary technologies through service delivery, co-development partnerships, and licensing agreements. Its primary clients are in the agro-industrial, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and energy sectors. Algentech has two main technological pillars. The first is a chloroplast bioproduction platform that turns plants into 'green factories'. This system uses self-replicating 'minichromosomes' to express entire biosynthetic pathways within plant chloroplasts, which is more efficient than integrating genes into the chloroplast genome. This method allows for the high-yield, sustainable production of valuable compounds like proteins and nucleic acids, using sunlight as an energy source while consuming CO2. The current product portfolio includes melanin for applications like hair dyes and anti-UV creams, and antimicrobial proteins such as endolysin for combating pathogenic bacteria. The second pillar focuses on nuclear genome editing tools that enhance the efficiency of homologous recombination, a process for precise gene insertion or modification. This technology is synergistic with nuclease-based systems like CRISPR-Cas9 and has applications in crop improvement and gene therapy.

Key milestones for Algentech include the issuance of a U.S. patent in 2020 for its genome editing technology that amplifies the effectiveness of homologous recombination. In June 2021, its breakthrough chloroplast technology was published in the scientific journal Nature Plants, highlighting a novel method for high-yield molecular farming. The company has also secured a grant from the European Space Agency to develop plants resistant to perchlorate and radiation for potential cultivation on Mars. Financially, Algentech raised $253K in a seed round in July 2012 from investors including Auriga Partners and Scientipole Capital. The company operates its R&D from the INRAE center in Versailles and has its head office at the Genopole BioCluster in Évry, France.

Keywords: synthetic biology, plant gene-editing, chloroplast transformation, molecular farming, bioproduction, homologous recombination, genome engineering, green chemistry, biopesticides, biohydrogen, melanin production, endolysin, sustainable manufacturing, agricultural biotechnology, pharmaceutical ingredients, cosmetic ingredients, crop improvement, gene therapy applications, Alexander Sorokin, Isabelle Malcuit