While I enjoyed a few days of R&R, my colleague Alex Tullo reported on the news that Amyris has filed for an IPO.
Amyris makes genetically engineered bacteria. The designer microbes eat cane sugar and produce various chemical or fuel precursors. The company has already gained some fame for helping to develop a biotech route to artemisinic acid, a precursor for the antimalaria compound artemisinin. Now Amyris says it will be making farnesene, which can be converted to diesel and several commercial products.
Amyris may have been embolded to file its S1 after Codexis’ similar move back in January. Codexis is a biotech firm focused on ezymes for biofuel, pharma, and chemicals production. Both firms are seeking to raise $100 million in capital.
