Gevo Awarded Patent for Improvements in the Efficiency of Production of Bio-based Isobutanol

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Gevo, Inc. (NASDAQ: GEVO) has been awarded an additional patent covering further improvements in the efficiency of bio-based production of isobutanol. The new patent extends Gevos lead over competitors in technological innovations that enable commercially viable production of bio-based isobutanol at costs far lower than alternative technologies. Gevo also filed lawsuits in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District in Marshall, Texas charging infringement of the new patent by E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (DuPont) (NYSE: DD) BP p.l.c. (NYSE: BP) and their joint venture, ButamaxTM Advanced Biofuels, LLC (Butamax).

Gevo is one of the leading renewable chemicals and next-generation biofuels company. With this new patent award, Gevo has 11 patents issued by the U.S. Patent and Trade Office (USPTO) with approximately 400 additional patent applications. The USPTO today awarded Gevo U.S Patent No. 8,232,089 (089 Patent) covering a bio-engineered pathway that utilizes DHADs (dihydroxyacid dehydratases) to improve the efficiency of isobutanol production in the yeast.

"The naturally occurring pathway in yeast produces only trace amounts of isobutanol," said Brett Lund, Executive Vice President and General Counsel. "Gevo has discovered and patented a series of changes in the yeast pathway - including the newly awarded 089 Patent - that eliminate unwanted byproducts and improves the efficiency of isobutanol production in yeast. Taken together, these technological advancements enable a process efficiency exceeding 90%, compared with less than 1% in the naturally occurring pathway in yeast."

"Gevos intellectual property is a strategic asset that we will continue to protect," said Lund. "We will vigorously challenge infringement by competitors who illegally make use of our patented technologies to overcome their own technological deficiencies." Butamax has publicly disclosed its use of Gevos technology in its own patent application, said Lund.

"Butamax has been attempting to reach demonstration-scale production of isobutanol for several years now," said Lund. "However, our scientists realized from the beginning the importance of increasing pathway efficiencies and recognized that to produce commercially relevant levels of isobutanol one must use the technology covered by our patents. Weve proven this in the successful startup of our commercial-scale, renewable isobutanol facility in Luverne, Minn."

About Gevo

Gevo is converting existing ethanol plants into biorefineries to make renewable building block products for the chemical and fuel industries. The Company plans to convert renewable raw materials into isobutanol and renewable hydrocarbons that can be directly integrated on a "drop in" basis into existing chemical and fuel products to deliver environmental and economic benefits. Gevo is committed to a sustainable biobased economy that meets societys needs for plentiful food and clean air and water.