The Board of Directors of Carlsberg A/S has approved the formation of Carlsberg Biosektor, a biotechnology research and development department under the Carlsberg Research Center, with effect from 1 April 2001.
Carlsberg Biosektor will receive initial start-up capital of DKK 10 million from Carlsberg A/S. It will be known within the first one to two years if its first three projects can be commercialised in a similar manner to Carlsberg's Combio subsidiary. Carlsberg Research Center comprises Carlsberg Laboratory, Carlsberg Research Laboratory and now Carlsberg Biosektor.
The basis for the new department is 'Project New Opportunities', which started in September last year to investigate the possibility of capitalising on the considerable knowledge and inventiveness the research centre contains.
No fewer than 33 employees came up with ideas for new projects. 19 of the ideas were presented to the New Opportunities Venture Board. Five were singled out and it is on the basis of the business plans for these five projects that the Board of Directors of Carlsberg A/S has decided to establish Carlsberg Biosektor.
The first three projects will focus on
- New bio-compatible polymeric materials. Plastic materials that demonstrate particularly valuable properties, such as the ability to absorb large amounts of water and other liquids
- A new principle for the development of cancer vaccines
- Affinyx - a new principle to identify alternative methods to develop medicine.
Moreover, Biosektor will work with mapping the genome of the Carlsberg yeast, and of barley - the most important ingredients in the production of beer. It is expected that the outcome of the project will provide valuable information for Carlsberg.
Finally, it has been decided to establish Carlsberg BioInkubator under the management of associate professor, Dr. Ole W. Sørensen and Dr. Jens Ø. Duus. This department under Carlsberg Biosektor will nurture new projects before they are commercialised.
One of the first project proposals that Carlsberg BioInkubator will take up will be an investigation of bioenergy.
It is expected Carlsberg Biosektor will employ a staff of around 15 in the beginning.
To provide resources and staff for Biosektor, the Carlsberg Laboratory will reduce its basic research into plants and as per 1 April 2001. The Department of Yeast Genetics will merge with the Department of Physiology and will continue to be headed by Professor Morten Kielland-Brandt.
As from 1 April 2001, Head of the Carlsberg Research Laboratory, associate Professor Klaus Breddam, will concentrate his efforts on the challenges within the Research Laboratory and with the brewing pilot plant.
In connection with the formation of Biosektor, Professor Klaus Bock was appointed Executive Vice-president with responsibility for the Carlsberg Research Center and for research and development in Carlsberg A/S from 1 March 2001.
Klaus Bock will continue in his position as Head of the Department of Chemistry at the Carlsberg Laboratory and as Chairman of the Research Council of the Carlsberg Research Center.
For further information:
Klaus Bock
Professor and Executive Vice-president
Carlsberg Research Center
Tel: + 45 33 27 52 20
Margrethe Skov
Public Affairs Director
Carlsberg A/S
Tel: +45 33 27 14 10