Good Day BIO: Bioplastics business is booming

The bioplastics business is booming, with companies investing billions into biotech-derived plastic alternatives—we tell you about a few. Plus, August is Psoriasis Action Month, and the National Psoriasis Action Foundation has resources about the links to stress and mental health. (586 words, 2 minutes, 55 seconds)

Bioplastics business booms in quest for plastic solution

The bioplastics business is booming as companies invest billions into increasing production of plastics made from renewable, biodegradable materials, reports the Associated Press.

The context: “Of the 9 billion tons of fossil fuel plastic produced since the 1950s, only 9% has been recycled,” the AP says. As we reported earlier this month, the pandemic reversed progress on plastic pollution.

Enter bioplastics: While bioplastics currently claim a little more than 1% of the $600 billion-plus global plastic market, according to the AP, $500 million has been invested in bioplastic manufacturing in Q1 of 2022, compared to $350 million in Q4 of 2021. The global bioplastics market was worth $10.51 billion in 2021 and will grow to $29 billion by 2028, according to Zion Market Research.

Bioplastics are sprouting up: BIO member Danimer Scientific recently expanded its plant in Kentucky to become one of the largest global producers of a biodegradable plastic called PHA, which is made using canola oil. Meanwhile, a plant being built in Iowa will produce bio-BDO, a green alternative to butanediol (BDO) used in the production of plastics, fibers, and solvents.

More BIO members are at the forefront of plastic innovation:

• Geno (formerly Genomatica) produced a plant-based version of the chemical raw material HMDA (hexamethylenediamine). It’s currently produced from fossil fuels to make materials ranging from nylon to coatings and adhesives.
• Virent makes makes biodegradable or compostable “drop-in” plastics made from recycled carbon or crop waste.
• LanzaTech is capturing carbon from industrial emissions and fermenting it to make a sustainable raw material that lululemon is using to make athletic wear. 

What’s next: With a new global treaty to limit plastics pollution under preparation, we can expect the business shift toward bioplastics to accelerate.

Psoriasis Action Month highlights the role of stress in the disease

With a pandemic, war in Europe, and economic uncertainty, there are plenty of reasons to feel stress these days—which is a problem for people prone to psoriasis, a condition that is exacerbated by, and creates, stress.

What is psoriasis? Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that impacts 8 million people in the United States. “Inflammation associated with psoriasis can lead to increased risk of high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and even depression and anxiety,” as well as psoriatic arthritis, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF).

While the cause is unclear, there are links to stress: “One in 3 people living with the disease suffer from depression,” according to data released last week by the NPF: “The psoriasis community is particularly vulnerable to stress and stress can also worsen symptoms.”

So far, there’s no cure—but the biotech industry has developed treatments that control systemic inflammation, like BIO member Amgen’s FDA-approved Otezla for patients with psoriatic arthritis, a “chronic, inflammatory form of arthritis that causes swelling stiffness, and pain around the joints.”

August is Psoriasis Action Month. NPF is raising awareness about the causes, triggers, treatment, and management of psoriasis, as well educating “the public on the role stress plays in managing the disease.” NPF has committed over $30 million to fund R&D, establishing the More Than Skin Deep: Mental Health Grant to explore related mental health issues. 

Read more on Bio.News.

More Health Care News: 

The New York Times: UK approves Moderna’s booster targeting Omicron
“Britain on Monday became the first country to authorize a coronavirus vaccine that targets two variants, the original virus and Omicron, the variant that became dominant over the winter.”

President Biden’s Tuesday: Signing the anti-innovation Inflation Reduction Act, as CBS reports. 

What’s Happening on Capitol Hill: Recess in the Senate and House.