Metabolix CSO Dr. Oliver Peoples to Present Data at Ecochem Conference Demonstrating the Production of PHA-based Biopolymers and Biobased Chemicals using Second Generation Cellulosic Sugars

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Metabolix, Inc. (NASDAQ: MBLX), an innovation-driven performance biomaterials company delivering sustainable solutions to the plastics, chemicals and energy industries, today announced that Chief Scientific Officer Oliver Peoples, Ph.D. will present the Company's strategy for its polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)-based biopolymers and biobased chemicals platform. This presentation will include new data on the successful conversion of second generation cellulosic sugars to PHA precursors for the production of PHA biopolymers and biobased chemicals, including C3 (bio-acrylic) and C4 chemicals.

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Dr. Peoples' presentation at the Ecochem Conference in Basel, Switzerland is scheduled for Thursday, November 21 at 4:15 p.m. (CET). The data presented by Dr. Peoples will demonstrate for the first time that microbes designed by Metabolix researchers can produce targeted PHAs through fermentation at a virtually identical growth rate and yield using cellulosic sugars as feedstock as compared to using first generation corn-based industrial sugar.  This data highlights the robust nature of the microbial strains engineered by Metabolix, and the potential to use alternative, renewable feedstocks for conversion in commercial scale fermentation.  

"The findings we will report suggest that our microbial strains for producing biopolymers and biobased chemicals are extremely robust and flexible on the feedstocks they can use. Even without any additional genetic modification, the Company's production organisms can effectively use second generation cellulosic sugar as a feedstock," said Dr. Peoples.  "The significance of this finding is that it is now clear that our PHA technology provides us with the flexibility to use a range of first generation industrial sugars, as well as second generation cellulosic sugars, and in the long-term gives us another way to manage the cost of raw material inputs." 

In this study evaluating a range of renewable feedstocks, Metabolix utilized cellulosic sugar provided by a leading developer of wood-based cellulosic sugars.  Metabolix plans to continue investigating alternative feedstocks for the production of PHA biopolymers and biobased chemicals.  

The research described at Ecochem by Dr. Peoples represents a significant technological milestone achieved in 2013 by Metabolix in its Chemicals platform. In addition, Metabolix recently reported the ability to recover ultra-high purity bio-GBL from fermentation broth and has shown that its fermentation process can be adapted to produce deuterated biobased chemicals.   

About Metabolix
Metabolix, Inc. is an advanced biomaterials company that is well positioned to address growing market demand for sustainable solutions in the plastics, chemicals and energy industries. The Company is developing and commercializing a family of high-performance biopolymers targeted to the markets for film and bag applications, performance additives and functional biodegradation. Metabolix's biobased chemicals platform is focused on high-value segments and applications using its novel "FAST" recovery process. The Company also is developing a platform for co-producing plastics, chemicals and energy from crops. Metabolix has established an industry-leading intellectual property portfolio that, together with its knowledge of advanced industrial practice, provides a foundation for industry collaborations.

For more information, please visit www.metabolix.com.

Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The forward-looking statements in this release do not constitute guarantees of future performance. Investors are cautioned that statements in this press release which are not strictly historical statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding expectations for commercialization of Metabolix products, future raw material costs, and research and development plans constitute forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, including the risks and uncertainties detailed in Metabolix's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Metabolix assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information contained in this press release or with respect to the announcements described herein.

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SOURCE Metabolix, Inc.