PRODIGES: €1.6 million to revolutionise continuous bioproduction
The PRODIGES project, led by the TWB pre-industrial demonstrator (INRAE-INSA-CNRS), has just secured funding of 1.6 million euros under the “Biomass, biotechnologies and sustainable technologies for chemicals and fuels” call for projects, as part of the national programme.
This ambitious programme aims to reinvent industrial bioproduction processes by adopting a continuous fermentation model that is more efficient, more sustainable and better suited to the challenges of the green transition. Today, the majority of microbial bioproduction processes rely on batch fermentation, a model considered simple but restrictive: instability at large scale, high equipment costs, a large carbon footprint, complex cleaning procedures, and so on. In response, PRODIGES is focusing on continuous production, capable of delivering more consistent quality at a lower cost and with a reduced environmental impact.
A high-calibre scientific alliance in Toulouse
A high-level scientific alliancThe project brings together an interdisciplinary consortium coordinated by INRAE, via TWB, and involves INSA Toulouse through its CRITT Bio-Industries, and l’INP Toulouse through the Chemical Engineering Laboratory (LGC). Together, they combine expertise in molecular biology, microbiology, process engineering and environmental assessment.
“PRODIGES meets the industry’s expectations for more efficient, high-quality and sustainable production. It offers a modular and holistic approach that will help overcome several major technological barriers,” emphasises Fayza Daboussi, INRAE Scientific Director at TWB.
Disruptive innovations for a sustainable transition
The aim of PRODIGES is to make continuous production viable and scalable, which is still not widely adopted outside the pharmaceutical sector. To this end, the project aims to ensure the safe production of recombinant proteins through:
- Innovative genetic engineering strategies to ensure the stability of strains over many generations,
- Controlled continuous culture with real-time monitoring of critical parameters,
- Tailored solutions for the efficient purification of products upon exit from the bioreactor.
A clear and collaborative roadmap
- TWB will develop the production strains and the first bioreactor prototypes,
- CRITT Bio-Industries will design and validate the process’s purification stages,
- LGC will monitor the project’s economic and environmental indicators.
Another step towards a bio-inspired industry
Through PRODIGES, the partners aim to accelerate the transition to more responsible production models, whilst ensuring the industrialisation of these processes, which are as yet under-utilised. This initiative is in line with TWB’s mission: to foster the development of innovative biotechnological solutions that contribute to a more sustainable, high-performing and self-sufficient economy.
