Valent BioSciences Announces Significant R&D Investments

Chris Beytes

Valent BioSciences LLC, the subsidiary of Sumitomo Chemical of Tokyo, has announced significant investments at several of its key research and development facilities aimed at increasing their innovations in biorational and biostimulant products.

A major expansion is planned for the Biorational Research Center in Libertyville, Illinois. Driven by business growth in synthetic biology, biostimulants, fermentation and downstream processing, the facility, which opened only four years ago, will be expanded significantly. The improvements will include new laboratory and pilot plant areas, office and meeting space, and an additional greenhouse.

Valent BioSciences’ subsidiary Mycorrhizal Applications has announced an expansion of its research facilities at the Bio Research & Development Growth Park at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis, Missouri. The enhancements will provide increased laboratory capacity for in-vitro research related to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, as well as additional office and meeting space. Mycorrhizal Applications is also expanding the lab space at its headquarters in Grants Pass, Oregon, to increase overall research capacity.

Additionally, in late 2020, the company established a dedicated Biorational Unit at parent company Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.’s Health & Crop Sciences Research Laboratory in Japan. The collaboration enables Valent BioSciences to broaden its biorational research programs and activities, as well as launch various synthetic biology projects that will spark new opportunities in the field.

Earlier this year, Valent BioSciences announced it's undertaking a major expansion at its Osage, Iowa, manufacturing facility. The additions include new production-scale fermentation and recovery equipment, a new pilot plant facility and expanded laboratory space. GT