TWB & AMOEBA: a major technological advance

Within the framework of a R&D contract between TWB and AMOEBA, TWB teams have been able to optimize amoeba production, by knocking down major technological barriers: transposing the process from an adhesion culture to a continuous suspension culture, multiplying by 10 the final amoeba concentration, developing a stable and economically viable culture medium.

TWB and AMOEBA, a company specialized in biological water treatment using biocides, have been working together for nearly 18 months within the framework of a R&D contract to produce from amoebae a revolutionary biocide capable of eliminating the risk of legionella being present in water. TWB’s mission was to take the process to the pre-industrial stage. Following these first successes and its initial public offering, AMOEBA reinforced its partnership with TWB. The aim is a shift to the industrial production of amoebae with a view to a first commercialization in the first half of 2016.

TWB is now involved in the optimization process, with an obligation to achieve results in the short term, in view of the trade issues for AMOEBA. For this project, six TWB staff are mobilized and cutting-edge equipment of TWB is being solicited. In particular, the use of the culture robot with 24 instrumented mini-reactors (50 mL) recently acquired by TWB (Hamilton, HEL) will make it possible to define very rapidly the optimal amoeba culture conditions. Industrial optimization will be achieved in TWB’s fermenter park up to a volume of 300 L, within the framework of collaboration with CRT/CRITT Bio-Industries Midi-Pyrénées (Toulouse, France).

With this project which is a unique technological advance, with no known and documented expertise, TWB shows its ability to innovate, to respond in a very short lapse of time to industrial imperatives and to create value. TWB strengthens once again its role as an accelerator in the development of industrial biotechnologies.

More information: Press release