Codexis Names David Anton SVP R&D, John Grate to CSO

Codexis, Inc., today announced the appointment of David Anton, Ph.D. as Senior Vice President, Research and Development, with responsibility for R&D activities for both the company’s bioindustrials and pharmaceuticals businesses. Dr. Anton was previously Vice President, Research & Development for Codexis Bioindustrials. He joined Codexis in 2008 after a 25-year career at DuPont. He continues to report to Alan Shaw, Ph.D., President and CEO.

The company also announced that John Grate, Ph.D., previously Senior Vice President, Technology and Innovation and Chief Technology Officer, has assumed the newly-created position of Senior Vice President, Science and Innovation and Chief Science Officer. Dr. Grate also continues to report to Dr. Shaw.

“Dave Anton has provided valuable leadership to the Codexis Bioindustrials research and development team since joining our company last year,” Dr. Shaw said. “He brought us over 25 years experience in development of new technologies and practical applications of those technologies in the commercial world. He has continued that strong focus, creating and leading a productive R&D team addressing the challenge of climate change with next generation biofuels.”

“John Grate served as our founding Vice President of R&D and CTO, later Senior Vice President of R&D and most recently Senior Vice President, Technology and Innovation,” Dr. Shaw said. “He provided outstanding leadership, driving our directed evolution platform beyond the legacy technology and on to commercial scale in the pharmaceuticals industry, and launching our program in biofuels. As Chief Science Officer, John will continue to provide leadership in advancing our biocatalysis technology globally. This will include expanding our technology platform through innovation, licensing and acquisition, and creating new markets focused on protecting the environment.”

Dr. Anton joined Codexis in March 2008 from DuPont, where he was the global business lead for development of DuPont’s advanced biofuel, butanol, as Venture Manager, Biofuels. He joined DuPont in 1983, and held a variety of senior research management positions across bioprocessing and biocatalysis. He led the process research, development and commercialization of several products, including 1,3 propanediol (a chemical intermediate used in a variety of industrial applications ranging from airplane deicing fluids to textiles and carpet). As Vice President, Research and Development for DuPont’s joint venture with Tate and Lyle, he directed technology start-up activities for the first 100 million-pound plant for 1,3 propanediol, commissioned in Loudon, Tennessee in 2006. He holds a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Minnesota. He served as a member of the joint DOE/USDA Biomass Research and Development Technology Advisory Committee from 2006 until 2009.

Dr. Grate joined Codexis in 2002. Previously, he held various R&D leadership positions in 20 years at Catalytica, including founding Vice President of Research and Development for the subsidiary Catalytica Pharmaceuticals until its acquisition by DSM in 2001. Dr. Grate received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Miami University (Ohio) and his Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of California, San Diego. He is a registered U.S. Patent Agent.

Codexis Inc. is a clean technology company. The company develops industrial biocatalysts, including enzymes and microbes. Codexis technology is used in the energy industry to enable next generation, non-food biofuels and by global pharmaceutical companies for cost-effective manufacturing of human therapeutics. Future commercial applications include carbon management, water treatment and chemical manufacturing. For more information, visit www.codexis.com.

Contact: Lyn Christenson, lyn.christenson@codexis.com, 650-421-8144 or Saskia Sidenfaden, HUssidenfaden@mww.comUH, 212-827-3771.