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USPTO Grants Butamax a Further KARI Enzyme Patent

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Butamax(TM) Advanced Biofuels, LLC was formed to develop and commercialize biobutanol as a next generation renewable biofuel for the transport market. The company benefits from the synergy of DuPont's proven industrial biotechnology experience and ...

WILMINGTON, Del., July 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Butamax™ Advanced Biofuels, LLC, the biobutanol technology leader, today announced the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted Butamax Patent Number 8,222,017 which protects a subset of key enzymes in the isobutanol production pathway.

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"We are pleased with the progress of our patent applications at the USPTO and this particular patent shows the expansion of our portfolio not just covering the fundamental pathway, but also protecting key pathway enzymes, far in advance of others in the field," commented Paul Beckwith , Butamax CEO, "This patent, and others like it soon to grant, demonstrates Butamax's strong innovation capability."

This latest patent issued from a series of applications covering a full-range of modified KARI enzymes. In this case, the enzyme subset is based on KARI enzymes having a modification that provides production efficiencies through the fundamental isobutanol biosynthetic pathway invented by Butamax.

Butamax inventions include recombinant microorganisms that convert various feedstocks to biobutanol, process engineering for recovering biobutanol produced during fermentation, engineering design for optimized energy integrations, and various renewable fuel and chemical compositions. The depth and breadth of the portfolio reflects the synergy between Butamax's investors, BP and DuPont, as world class scientists and leaders in the biofuels industry.

About Butamax

Butamax™ Advanced Biofuels, LLC, a joint venture between BP and DuPont was formed to develop and commercialize biobutanol as a next generation renewable biofuel for the transport market. The company benefits from the synergy of DuPont's proven industrial biotechnology experience and BP's global fuels market knowledge. Butamax's proprietary technology offers a cost-advantaged manufacturing process for isobutanol with value from field to pump. For more information, visit www.butamax.com.

Butamax™ is a trademark of Butamax™ Advanced Biofuels, LLC.

Media Contact: Pam Schools
910-777-7119
pamela.schools@butamax.com

SOURCE Butamax Advanced Biofuels, LLC