CSIRO and Lonza Partner to Bring New Bee Silk Products to the World

20-Apr-2012 - Switzerland

Bringing new insect silk products to the global market is the focus of a partnership announced by Australian research agency CSIRO and global life science industry supplier Lonza.

Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and Lonza, have entered a joint development agreement to advance and market exciting new insect silks for a broad range of medical and industrial applications.

Insect silk is a potential key component in a wide range of new products and applications under development by the fast growing biotechnology manufacturing industry due to superior properties such as exceptional strength and toughness. Potential applications include composite fibers for the aviation and marine industries and medical applications including wound repair, drug delivery, and repairing and replacing human tissues such as membranes, ligaments, blood vessels and cartilage.

CSIRO is bringing scientific discovery, biomedical and materials science expertise to the partnership, according to CSIRO Business Development and Commercialisation General Manager, Cameron Begley.

“CSIRO has identified a broad range of insect silks that could be produced sustainably and used for a wide range of industrial and medical applications,” Mr Begley said. “We have found ways to convert the bee silk into a range of different forms, from micro-particles and sponges through to spun fibers that can lead to knitted and woven fabrics”.

Lonza brings its biotechnology and life-science product and service expertise to the partnership and is already providing process development for the recombinant bee silk protein.

CSIRO and Lonza are working closely to identify further commercial applications and partners for the new insect silk based products.

https://www.bionity.com/en/news/137538/csiro-and-lonza-partner-to-bring-new-bee-silk-products-to-the-world.html