Gene Editing Merger Focuses, Accelerates Trait Licensing

“Gene editing is the analog to digital moment for agriculture,” says Rory Riggs, co-founder of Cibus and newly named CEO of the merged company.
“Gene editing is the analog to digital moment for agriculture,” says Rory Riggs, co-founder of Cibus and newly named CEO of the merged company.
(Cibus)

Cibus and Calyxt, which have been pioneering companies in the space of gene edited crops, will merge. 

“Gene editing is the analog to digital moment for agriculture,” says Rory Riggs, co-founder of Cibus and newly named CEO of the merged company. “Gene editing is timebound and efficient. We can accomplish things with better accuracy and speed that is going to change the scale of breeding opportunities in which farmers can expect big changes in what’s possible in the next ten years.”

Riggs says the merger and the first products the new company will bring to market have the opportunity to cement the idea of a “real business” behind gene editing. 

“Because of the advances in gene editing technology, it’s time for the industry to consider the ‘Productivity Trait Business’ as a natural competitor or counterpart to the ‘Crop Protection Chemical Business,’” he says. 

The Cibus vision is to build a platform for every major crop to deliver Productivity Traits that address the major productivity challenges such pests, diseases and fertilizer using with genetics as opposed to chemicals. 

The new company will focus on the five dominant global crops: corn, wheat, soybeans, rice and canola; that are planted on 500 million acres in North America, South America and the EU. Cibus’ Rapid Trait Development System (RTDS) will be the springboard in this product development. 

“Our first traits are in canola and rice.” he says. “The first canola product is for pod shatter reduction. Cibus has received germplasm from 10 seed company customers for its patented pod shatter trait. In 2023 it will begin transfer to our customers in North America with the expectation of commercial launch in 2025 of our first “Cibus Powered” traits. In addition, in 2023, we are preparing to transfer two different herbicide resistance traits in rice in the elite germplasm of a leading North American rice seed company for commercialization”

Riggs says another advantage to its RTDS technologies it does not integrate any Foreign DNA/Transgene which is the hallmark of GMO. All three of its initial products have been determined not to be regulated articles through USDA APHIS “Am I Regulated” (now the SECURE Process) for regulating gene edited products. This designation materially speeds up time to develop and commercialize new traits.

The complementary platform Calyxt has developed is helping Cibus grow its second pillar of products: sustainable low carbon ingredients. These projects are focused on renewable low-carbon ingredients that can replace fossil fuel-based ingredients and diesel fuel and lower greenhouse gas emissions. 

Riggs says, “By the time this deal closes, we expect to have three major product announcements in the sustainability traits industry.” 

He adds that in addition to highlighting what’s possible with gene editing, the combined business will also benefit from additional growth capacities now under one company umbrella. The new company’s corporate headquarters will be in San Diego, California and the company will use the Calyxt offices, laboratory, and breeding facilities in Roseville, Minnesota.

“We will be establishing one of the world’s most sophisticated facilities for trait development and next generation plant breeding,” he says.
 

 

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