Sigma-Aldrich licenses new polymer technology

Sigma-Aldrich has licensed a new organic polymer technology which could potentially bring benefits to the biotechnology and personal care sectors.

The science company is to manufacture and sell reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) agents, molecules which can allow for better control of polymer weight and structure.

This technology has been created by the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) and will now be sold via the Aldrich Materials Science Initiative.

Dr Ilya Koltover, market segment manager for Aldrich Materials Science, said the deal will play a key role in making the groundbreaking technology more available to manufacturers in the biomedical, specialty chemical and personal care sectors.

He said it will allow researchers “to explore a variety of experimental conditions without having to go through the trouble of making the RAFT agents in their own labs”.

Earlier this month, the company launched a new life science brand designed to unify its activities in the biology and biotechnology sector.