This new innovative phytase is specifically designed to unlock more of the hidden nutritional value in phytate for improved animal growth and well-being.

The two companies, which entered into a strategic partnership in 2011, designed CIBENZA® PHYTAVERSE™ to have specific performance characteristics that offer significant advantages over current phytase products. These performance characteristics include:

• High in vivo activity under gastric conditions for sustained performance
• Improved acitvity at low substrate concentrations to maximize phytate hydrolysis
• high gastric stability for activity throughout the upper gastrointestinal tract
• High intrinsic thermotolerance and pelleting stability
• Improved bioavailability due to the elimination of the need for thermo protective coatings

"We're excited to bring this new enzyme solution to the market," said Gary Hayen, Global Director Fermentation Products at Novus.

"The partnership with Verenium is allowing us to offer our customers the synergy of cutting-edge enzyme technology and nutrition solutions knowledge which makes CIBENZA PHYTAVERSE a valuable asset for today's feed industry."

Animal trial results have demonstrated the superior performance characteristics that CIBENZA PHYTAVERSE provides, based on standard metrics such as weight gain, feed conversion ratios and phosphorus mineralization (tibia ash) versus other available phytase products.

These results indicate that inclusion of CIBENZA PHYTAVERSE in monogastric diets can provide improved nutrition and economics to the animal feed industry.

"By combining Novus's animal nutrition expertise and extensive industry knowledge with over 15 years of experience in developing high-performance phytase products at Verenium, together we've been able to create a next-generation phytase that exhibits superior performance characteristics over those marketed today," said David Weiner, Vice President of R&D Strategy and Partnerships at Verenium.

"These important characteristics allow the animal to more efficiently utilize the phosphorus and other nutrients necessary for improved animal health and nutrition, and can provide producers an increased return on investment."

Novus and Verenium expect to launch this product in certain geographical regions beginning in 2013.