Valogen Biosciences: Transforming agricultural by-products into high-value peptides
In manufacturing processes across the UK, feedstock is often limited to a single use, with by-products discarded or directed to low-value applications. One such underutilised resource is oil seed rape (OSR) meal – the residual material left after extracting rapeseed oil. Despite containing a high level of protein, it has traditionally been used as animal feed, failing to capitalise on its full potential.
Valogen Biosciences, a forward-thinking biotech startup, recognised this opportunity and focused on transforming OSR meal into high-value peptide materials for use in medical, personal care, and nutritional markets. Their challenge was to develop an efficient process that could extract and process bioactive peptides – the "sweet spot" between whole proteins and individual amino acids – while scaling up from laboratory to commercial production.
Accelerating pilot plant success
Since 2021, the Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC) has enabled Valogen to accelerate its development. Our adaptable space, accessible processing facilities, and expert bioprocessing team allowed Valogen to establish a functioning pilot plant at our York location. This has facilitated significant process optimisation and operational scale-up, generating vital data that will be key in securing the necessary investment for a larger production facility. Additionally, the BDC's comprehensive analytical support, including compositional and protein content analysis, has provided Valogen with the information needed to create detailed product specifications, opening doors for engagement with prospective industrial partners.
Harry Ross, Chief Technical Officer for Valogen, said:
The BDC has been instrumental in our development, from providing technical expertise and space for our pilot plant to offering analytical capabilities that help us understand exactly what we're producing. Being shoulder to shoulder with their experienced team has been invaluable as we've moved from concept to pilot scale. Their analytical support has allowed us to provide robust technical specifications to our partners, turning what was once considered waste or a low-value material into innovative products with diverse applications.
From lab to market
Using private and public sector investments, including Innovate UK grants facilitated through their BDC partnership, Valogen has successfully demonstrated how hydrolysis of OSR meal proteins followed by downstream purification can produce higher-value peptides at scale.
The bioactive peptides produced have shown remarkable versatility across multiple sectors. In cosmetics, they function as effective hair conditioners that smooth cuticles. For food applications, they serve as natural savoury flavour enhancers while reducing bitterness. In healthcare, they promote wound healing with anti-inflammatory properties and show promise for addressing age-related muscle loss.
Valogen is now working with BioYorkshire and the BDC to identify financing for a dedicated food-grade facility approximately ten times larger than their current pilot plant. The company plans to remain close to the BDC, using our analytical expertise for quality control as they scale up operations.
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