Amyris Scales First Fermentation-Based Cannabinoid

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Sep 01, 2020, 08:30 ET

EMERYVILLE, Calif., Sept. 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Amyris, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMRS), a leading synthetic biotechnology company in Clean Health and Beauty markets through its consumer brands, and a top supplier of sustainable and natural ingredients, today announced that it has successfully scaled up the commercial production of Cannabigerol (CBG) leveraging its industrial fermentation process capability.

Amyris expects to deliver about one ton of high purity CBG through fermentation as an alternative to the traditional production method of extraction from the Cannabis sativa L. plant. First commercial revenue from the sale of this molecule is anticipated this year as an ingredient in applications that are excluded from Amyris's current collaboration agreements. Product margins are anticipated to operate above the current industry average realized by existing publicly traded CBD suppliers.

CBG is the precursor from which all other cannabinoids are synthesized and is often referred to as the "stem cell" of cannabinoids. CBG is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid and presents significant therapeutic potential, making it a subject of great interest for researchers and consumers alike. Amyris's fermentation process is well-positioned to result in the lowest cost CBG with higher purity (no THC), which is expected to unlock CBG's adoption.

Early testing on skin models demonstrates advantaged performance of CBG for various topical indications over CBD. Furthermore, the combination of CBG with Amyris's sugar cane-based squalene provides some of the highest efficacy results for topical applications. Early studies indicate that CBG has the potential to deliver better efficacy than CBD in about one third of current CBD topical applications.

"Amyris's biotechnology platform continues to demonstrate its capability to engineer yeast to create and produce differentiated high value products. This molecule was developed from initial target to full scale production in less than nine months," said Eduardo Alvarez, Chief Operating Officer.

"We are very excited about the disruptive nature of this molecule for potential skin care applications and through flavor and fragrance partnerships and our cosmetic distribution channels," commented John Melo, President and Chief Executive Officer. "This is the tenth product we deliver at scale through our fermentation platform, and reaffirms the continued expansion of our portfolio and our growth ambition to provide sustainably and economically produced natural ingredients."

About Amyris
Amyris (Nasdaq: AMRS) is a science and technology leader in the research, development and production of sustainable ingredients for the Clean Health & Beauty and Flavors & Fragrances markets. Amyris uses an impressive array of exclusive technologies, including state-of-the-art machine learning, robotics and artificial intelligence. Our ingredients are included in over 3,000 products from the world's top brands, reaching more than 200 million consumers. Amyris is proud to own three consumer brands - all built around its No Compromise® promise of clean ingredients: Biossance™ clean beauty skincare, Pipette™ clean baby skincare and Purecane™, a zero-calorie sweetener naturally derived from sugarcane. For more information, please visit www.amyris.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements, and any statements other than statements of historical fact could be deemed to be forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements regarding the fermentation method of cannabinoid production, the timing of commercial revenue expectations, the cost for production of cannabigerol production, the purity profile of the cannabigerol product, efficacy results in topical applications of Amyris's cannabigerol product, and future timing of cannabinoid production. These statements are based on management's current expectations, and actual results and future events may differ materially due to risks and uncertainties, including risks related to Amyris's liquidity and ability to fund operating and capital expenses, risks related to potential delays or failures in development, production and commercialization of products, risks related to Amyris's reliance on third parties, and other risks detailed from time to time in filings Amyris makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Amyris disclaims any obligation to update information contained in these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Amyris, the Amyris logo, No Compromise, Biossance, Pipette, and Purecane are trademarks or registered trademarks of Amyris, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

SOURCE Amyris, Inc.