Metabolix

About

was founded as a spin out from MIT in 1992 to develop a new class of biopolymers assembled by genetically engineered E. coli bacteria. The polymers, called PHBs, are biodegradable, but share many of the attractive properties of mass produced, commercial-grade plastics such as polyesters. In addition, there was some evidence that PHBs might be attractive for biological implants, as they would be both degradable, but also highly biocompatible.