Key Takeaways:
- Aphea.Bio has received a research grant from VLAIO (Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship) to establish its TRΛNSCEND platform.
- The initiative focuses on Microbial Natural Products (MNPs), bioactive compounds with higher efficacy and durability than live microorganisms.
- TRΛNSCEND will accelerate product discovery and development, screening 5,000 proprietary MNPs and advancing high-potential candidates within two years.
- CEO Isabel Vercauteren described the platform as “the next frontier in biological crop protection.”
- Aphea.Bio aims to deliver up to 30 new biological products over the next eight years.
Aphea.Bio's Transition to Advanced Biological Solutions
Aphea.Bio, a Belgium-based innovator in microbial solutions for sustainable agriculture, announced it has secured a research grant from VLAIO to launch TRΛNSCEND, a platform designed to expand its capabilities in microbial crop protection.
The TRΛNSCEND platform will accelerate research into Microbial Natural Products (MNPs), compounds derived from microbial fermentation that provide long-lasting crop protection and greater efficacy than living microbial products.
“TRΛNSCEND takes us to the next frontier in biological crop protection,” said Isabel Vercauteren, CEO of Aphea.Bio. “MNPs can deliver the performance farmers need while helping agriculture transition to more sustainable farming practices.”
Scope of the TRΛNSCEND Project
Supported by the VLAIO grant, TRΛNSCEND will build Aphea.Bio’s in-house capacity for automated and high-throughput MNP production and testing. The project’s objectives include:
- Screening 5,000 proprietary MNPs to identify the most effective candidates.
- Optimizing fermentation conditions to maximize compound production.
- Simulating field conditions in climate chambers to test reliability under stress.
- Advancing select high-potential candidates to product development within two years.
The platform is expected to give Aphea.Bio greater control over quality, scalability, and speed to market for biological crop protection solutions.
Strengthening the Innovation Pipeline For Aphea.Bio
Aphea.Bio is leveraging its APEXbio™ technology platform and its proprietary library of more than 15,000 microbial strains to support discovery and commercialization. The company projects that its innovation pipeline could generate as many as 30 new biological products in the next eight years.
“By enhancing our high-throughput MNP production and optimisation, we strengthen our pipeline, reduce costs, and ensure scalability from the earliest stages of development,” said Steven Vandenabeele, CTO of Aphea.Bio. “This positions us to deliver best-in-class biological products that address the evolving needs of global agriculture.”
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