Good Day BIO: ETA for net-zero aviation? Soon.

BIO member Gevo announced two deals that could bring us closer to net-zero aviation. Today is Lipoprotein(a) Awareness Day, highlighting genetic risk factors for heart disease. The Senate HELP Committee held a hearing yesterday on federal support for mental health care. (816 words, 4 minutes, 4 seconds)  

ETA for net-zero aviation? Sooner than you think.

It’s been a minute since we’ve checked in on Gevo, the BIO member company developing zero-carbon transportation fuel—but two big announcements this week could help sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) soar higher. 

The news: The oneworld Alliance—which includes American Airlines, British Airways, and Qatar Airways—will purchase 200 million gallons of SAF from Gevo, the companies announced this week. In addition, Delta Airlines will buy 75 million gallons of SAF per year for seven years.

The fuel: Gevo produces liquid hydrocarbons that can be used as drop-in transportation fuels with the “potential to yield net-zero greenhouse gas emissions when measured across the full life cycle of the products,” Gevo explains.

So, what’s next? “We expect production from our first Net-Zero plant to begin in 2025. To meet the demand that we now have under contract, we need to develop and build more than one Net-Zero plant. This is a happy problem to have,” said Gevo CEO Dr. Patrick R. Gruber of the Delta Airlines contract.

The context: The Biden administration set a goal of reducing aviation emissions 20% by 2030, and net-zero aviation by 2050. With energy prices soaring—and geopolitical concerns putting the global energy supply at risk—it’s more important than ever that we help companies like Gevo develop and deploy sustainable aviation fuel and other energy biotechnology.  

Throwback Thursday: Dr. Patrick Gruber joined one of the first episodes of the I am BIO Podcast to talk about the potential of Gevo’s zero-carbon fuel—listen here.

When it comes to heart health, March 24 could save your life

Because March 24 (today!) is Lipoprotein(a) Awareness Day, highlighting the importance of understanding Lipoprotein(a) and Familial Hypercholesterolemia to combat heart disease.

By the numbers: Heart disease is the leading cause of death in America, accounting for about 1 in 4 deaths. And heart disease costs the healthcare system $216 billion dollars annually, resulting in $147 billion worth of lost productivity each year.

While a lot of focus remains on environmental risk factors, genetic factors are just as important,says the Family Heart Foundation: “Lipoprotein(a) – sometimes referred to as lipoprotein ‘little a’– is an important genetic risk for heart disease and stroke.”

For a long time, Lp(a) was little understood—but that’s changing: “1 in 5 people have high levels of Lp(a); greater than 50 mg/dL) putting them at higher risk. This elevation begins at birth—it’s associated with genetic factors inherited from your parents—and is not linked to behavior,” continues the Family Heart Foundation.

In fact, high levels of Lp(a) can be found in healthy and active individuals—like Chad, a Family Heart Foundation Advocate for Awareness who recounts how a running injury led to a diagnosis of a massive blockage on the left side of his heart.

Chad’s message: “Get tested for Lp(a) so you know if yours is high and listen to your own body. Learn all you can, advocate for yourself, and find a doctor who will listen. It could save your life.”

Learn more about Lipoprotein(a) Awareness Day.

More Health Care News: 

Moderna: Moderna announces its COVID-19 vaccine phase 2/3 study in children 6 months to under 6 years has successfully met its primary endpoint
“Moderna will submit a request for authorization of a 25 μg two-dose primary series of mRNA-1273 for children 6 months to under 6 years of age to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), European Medicines Agency (EMA) and other global regulators in the coming weeks.”

WHO: On World TB Day, WHO calls for increased investments into TB services and research
“Global spending on TB diagnostics, treatments and prevention in 2020 were less than half of the global target of USD $13 billion annually by 2022. For research and development, an extra USD $1.1 billion per year is needed.”

President Biden’s Thursday: The NATO summit in Brussels is underway. President Biden is scheduled to hold a press conference at 3 PM ET. Meanwhile, the U.S. and EU are close to an energy deal “intended to ensure supplies of American natural gas and hydrogen for Europe” thereby reducing Europe’s dependence on Russia, reports Bloomberg.

What’s Happening on Capitol Hill: U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, led a hearing yesterday on how the federal government can better address the mental health and substance use disorder crises that have been exacerbated by COVID-19. Sen. Murray reiterated her goal to put together a package in early summer that: supports suicide screening and prevention, helps schools and communities meet kids’ mental health needs, reduces drug overdose deaths, gives patients more options to get substance use disorder treatment, addresses the mental health needs of new mothers, and tackles barriers that make it hard for people to get the care they need—like stigma, health inequity, a strained workforce, and more. She’s working across the aisle with U.S. Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) to bolster federal support for mental health and substance use disorder services. Watch the hearing and read all testimony here.