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China Fund News reporter Zhao Xinyi

In February 1953, Watson and Crick deduced the double helix structure of genetic material DNA based on the X-ray diffraction photographs taken by female scientist Franklin - the first biotechnology revolution in human society began.

Over the past 70 years, the biotechnology revolution, from the double helix structure of DNA to genome sequencing and then to synthetic biology, has changed human understanding of biology and also changed people's daily lives.

"Synthetic biology has endless possibilities, and we have only done a little bit." As a leader in the domestic synthetic biology industry,Liu Xiucai, Chairman of Cathay BiopharmaI believe that the changes brought about by technology have just begun.

In Liu Xiucai's view, the most fundamental value of synthetic biology in biomanufacturing is the reliance of the chemical industry. Cathay Bio has been committed to this: it completed the industrialization of polymer-grade biological long-chain dibasic acid for the first time in the world, and launched the bio-based pentamethylenediamine product for the first time in the world...

"We will continue to leverage the Science and Technology Innovation Board platform to accelerate the research and development, production and application of biomanufacturing products, and enable green and low-carbon technological innovation and the development of new quality productivity," said Liu Xiucai.

Change the track and think outside the chemical industry

"Over the past hundred years, the vigorous development of human society has relied on the widespread use of petrochemical products. This is one of the key factors in the high maturity of the 'chemical method'," said Liu Xiucai.

Looking back at the evolution of human civilization, it is not difficult to find that every innovation in materials carries the changes of history. The leaps in human social form and quality of life are all due to human beings' profound understanding of materials and their ability to efficiently utilize them. The continuous exploration and innovation of materials have promoted the continuous progress of human civilization.

"From the perspective of the substance itself, one of the reasons why the chemical method is very mature is that the raw materials are basically carbon chemistry. Petroleum, natural gas, coal and other substances have relatively high carbon content and energy, and are relatively easy to store. Its products, functions, process routes and industry standards are shared by all mankind." Liu Xiucai told reporters, "In the process of chemical manufacturing, there is a problem of carbon emissions."

The continued use of fossil fuels has led to an increase in global carbon emissions and increasingly serious climate issues. How to accelerate the "escape" from fossil fuels has become an issue that mankind needs to face together.

In 1994, Liu Xiucai, who was engaged in scientific research in the United States, returned to China to start a business. Using biological methods to replace chemical methods to manufacture chemical products was Liu Xiucai's original intention in establishing Cathay Biotechnology.

From a theoretical perspective, a variety of petrochemicals have the potential to be produced and refined from biological raw materials through biological methods. However, it takes a long and difficult process to move from theory to practical application, especially for a new industry that is different from traditional chemical industry.

Decades of accumulation have turned ideals into reality.

In 2003, Cathay Bio achieved the world's first large-scale production of long-chain dibasic acids using biological methods. In 2016, the company used biological lauric acid to replace similar products produced by chemical methods of international chemical companies, completely subverting the traditional chemical production method.

Make friends and bring cutting-edge technology into every household

"Technological breakthroughs do not mean commercial perfection, and there is still a long way to go in this process," Liu Xiucai said frankly.

In order to turn cutting-edge technology into innovative products and then let innovative products enter thousands of households, Liu Xiucai chose to cooperate with China Merchants Group and promote the technology together with his "friends".

In June 2023, Cathay Biopharma announced a plan for a private placement to raise no more than 6.6 billion yuan, intending to introduce China Merchants Group as a strategic investor.

According to the plan, Cathay Biotech is expected to leverage the resources of China Merchants Group to accelerate the promotion of thermoplastic bio-based composite new materials and create a "lighthouse" project for low-carbon or even zero-carbon industries. At the same time, China Merchants Group's shipping, ports, shipping, energy and other fields can also cooperate with Cathay Biotech's bio-based new materials in more application scenarios.

The change of identity from scientist to entrepreneur also made Liu Xiucai pay more attention to the implementation of technology.

"We will continue to promote the construction of high-throughput R&D platforms in disciplines such as gene editing, bioengineering, biochemistry, biomaterial polymerization, textiles, modification and evaluation. Through continuous R&D and innovation, we will further improve product structure, enhance product cost-effectiveness, enrich downstream applications, maintain technological leadership, and enhance the company's overall competitiveness." Liu Xiucai said.

Liu Xiucai called for bio-based materials to become the backbone of global industrial green development. The closed loop from industrialization to commercialization of biomanufacturing requires multi-dimensional coordination and progress by enterprises, governments, and leading investment institutions.

"The prosperity of synthetic biology in China requires the concerted efforts of entrepreneurs, investors, users and policymakers," said Liu Xiucai.

Creating everything, from substitution to creating new needs

According to the strategic report "Bioeconomy Policy Agenda 2030" released by the OECD, more than 4 trillion US dollars of products are produced through chemical methods worldwide. It is estimated that by 2030, at least 20% of petrochemical products can be replaced by bio-based chemicals, with a market space of about 800 billion US dollars. The current replacement rate is less than 5%, and there is about 600 billion US dollars of room for improvement.

"The purpose of synthetic biology is to transform metabolic pathways or improve efficiency to produce manufacturing products. The most fundamental value of synthetic biology in biomanufacturing is to eliminate human dependence on the petrochemical industry," said Liu Xiucai.

At present, synthetic biology has surpassed similar products made by chemical methods in many fields such as functionality, lightweighting, and carbon emission reduction.

In terms of functionality, the high fluidity of high-temperature resistant bio-based polyamide can increase the glass fiber content in the composite material, which not only increases the strength but also significantly reduces the cost, highlighting the cost-effectiveness advantage in the application.

In terms of lightweighting, the characteristics of bio-based polyamide such as lightweight, high strength, temperature resistance, high wear resistance and corrosion resistance can better meet the urgent demand for lightweight materials in industries such as automobiles, wind power, aviation and building materials, so as to realize the replacement of aluminum with plastic, steel with plastic, and thermoplastic with thermosetting, and promote material innovation and application upgrades in related fields.

Reducing carbon emissions is a specialty of synthetic biology. For example, each ton of bio-based polyamide can reduce carbon emissions by more than 50% compared to petrochemical-based polyamide.

"Replacement is only a short-term goal. We are more eager to explore new applications of biomaterials, that is, to achieve new functions that cannot be achieved by traditional chemical methods. This will be a broader market," said Liu Xiucai.

Editor: Captain

Review: Xu Wen

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