On March 25, 2022, Green Earth Institute (GEI), an investee of PIEF, entered into a license agreement with DIC Co., Ltd. (DIC) for the commercial production of β-alanine (bio-β-alanine) by bioprocessing.

β-Alanine is a chemical that is used in a wide range of products, including vitamin intermediates and supplements in the health foods field, surfactants in the personal care field, and pharmaceutical raw materials and other feed additives in the medical field. In the U.S, it is used by athletes including bodybuilders for its function of protecting muscle fibers and shortening muscle fatigue recovery time. In Japan, β-Alanine was added to the list of non-pharmaceutical products in accordance with the revision of the borderline of pharmaceuticals to non-pharmaceuticals (the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare) on March 22, 2019, and now can be used as a supplement. In recent years, it has become increasingly important not only in the sports field, but also as a countermeasure against sarcopenia, in which muscular strength and physical function deteriorate with aging. Therefore, the demand of β-Alanine in Japan is also expected to continue to increase in the future.

Supplement products alone accounted for 972 million USD in the global β-alanine market in 2020, and the CAGR of the compound is 12.5% from 2021 to 2027. Most of the currently available β-alanine is produced through petrochemical processes using petroleum as a raw material, and it is highly expected that the expansion of the β-alanine production by bioprocesses offering higher efficiency.

On March 1, 2020, GEI entered into an agreement with DIC for research and development of bio-β-alanine through fermentation production. In order to shift from the development to the commercial stage, the agreement on March 25 was concluded to license the intellectual property rights related to β-alanine held by GEI to DIC.

GEI is engaged in the biotechnology of a variety of different chemicals under its mission, “Fostering green technology and walking with the earth” and through this licensing to DIC, GEI will promote the implementation of bio-derived products of β-alanine in society and contribute to the realization of a decarbonized society.

For more information, please visit the websites:
Green Earth Institute Press Release