Develop novel lutein biomanufacturing in a nonmodel yeast via engineered metabolons and metabolic analyses

Project Summary Arch Innotek proposes to develop a sustainablecost effective fermentation process to produce lutein using engineered yeastLutein is an important antioxidant compound that can slow the progression of vision loss caused by age related macular degenerationAMDcataractsand retinitis pigmentosaAside from protecting eyesdietary intake of lutein can reduce risk of skin disordersseveral types of cancer including colon or breast cancertype II diabetes and coronary heart diseaseCurrent lutein manufacturing is mainly by extraction from plant materialse gthe petals of marigold flowerswhich contains lutein in the ester form and is poorly absorbed by human bodyBesidesthis is an expensivelabor intensive and land demanding process and most lutein resource in US relies on importsThe high price and market demand drive companies to seek alternative sourcesBased on our preliminary studies and patent applicationsArch Innotek will apply metabolon engineering and fermentation optimizationsguided by metabolic analysesto engineer a nonmodel GRASGenerally Recognized as Safeyeastwhich will lead to a safe and cost effective production process for manufacturing high bioavailability free luteinArch Innotek is the first company focused on de novo lutein production by yeast fermentation processand our preliminary studies have successfully created producing lutein strainIn this proposalwe are proposing innovative approaches to improve yeast productivity to achieve the break even pointtiterg LWe will perform metabolon engineering of lutein biosynthetic pathway to enhance fluxes towards lutein away from the competitive pathwayMoreoverC based metabolic analysis will be used to characterize metabolic responses in engineered yeasts and identify hidden factorse grate limiting enzyme nodescofactor balancescompeting pathwaysand nutrient bottlenecksfor further genetic modification and fermentation optimizationsAfter laboratory successesfuture strain engineeringscale up and downstream purification process will be undertaken to demonstrate the technology s value for inexpensive commercial productionPhase IIOur freelutein will have better absorption and bioavailability when used as nutritional supplements and other health productsleading to good customer acceptance and market profitabilityWe will develop strategic partnerships with established companies via supply agreementsco promotionstrategic investmentsor technology licensing at certain market segmentsOur product could not only have dramatic impact on lutein usersbut also create numerous domestic biotechnology high paying jobsThe established biotechnology from this study may also provide broad impact guidelines on manufacturing other carotenoid productsThe objective of I Corps program is to commercialize this technology as quickly as possibleand the successful completion of the Phase I effort and potential follow on Phase II workgreatly aid our ability to do soParticipation in this complementary I Corps program provides additional resources to address challenges inherent in early stage technology companiesWe believe the structured approach to business value discovery provided through this program will aid in our overall value proposition positioningand ultimately fully realize the commercial potential of the core technology Project Narrative Lutein can ameliorate a number of degenerative human diseasessuch as age related macular degenerationcataractscancerand diabetes etcReplacing the current expensive plant extraction methodArch Innotek aims to develop an inexpensive yeast fermentation process to manufacture a safelow costhigh bioavailability freelutein for nutritional supplements and other health related products