Intrexon Corporation, a next generation synthetic biology company, today announced an agreement with Novici Biotech LLC in which Intrexon has licensed certain non-exclusive rights to the use of Novici’s patented GRAMMR® technology for high-resolution genetic reassortment (“gene shuffling”). According to Grace Colón, PhD, President of Intrexon’s Industrial Products Division, Intrexon will be deploying Novici’s GRAMMR® technology toward a spectrum of industrial applications in concert with Intrexon’s UltraVector® platform and extensive library of modular DNA control components. “Gene shuffling has been one of the cornerstone genetic technologies for optimization of industrial biomolecules,” states Colón. “The coordinated deployment of Novici’s GRAMMR® technology with our core UltraVector platform enables Intrexon to amplify the power of gene shuffling by incorporating optimized genes into our integrated genetic circuits and cellular control frameworks. The two platforms are an excellent complement and we look forward to maximizing the apparent synergies to derive high value industrial products.” “We are very pleased that Intrexon has chosen GRAMMR® as a key upstream technology for use in its industrial products development,” states Hal Padgett, PhD, Novici’s General Manager and Chief Science Officer. “Intrexon’s industrialization of complex transgene assembly, coupled with a superior ability to control cellular machinery, should produce many novel industrial applications and substantial improvements to existing ones. We look forward to enabling their use of GRAMMR® and expect a very productive relationship.” The GRAMMR® licensing agreement is part of Intrexon’s ongoing strategic deployment of top-tier third party technologies in combination with the company’s industry-shaping synthetic biology capabilities. Terms of the agreement were not made public.
About Intrexon Corporation
Intrexon Corporation is a privately held synthetic biology company that employs modular DNA control systems to enhance capabilities, improve safety and lower cost in human therapeutics, protein production, industrial products and agricultural biotechnology. The company’s advanced transgene engineering platform enables Better DNA™ by combining breakthroughs in DNA control systems with corresponding advancements in modular transgene design, assembly and optimization. The company is currently using these advanced capabilities to undertake foremost challenges across the spectrum for biological applications. More information about the company is available at www.DNA.com.
About Novici Biotech (www.novicibiotech.com)
Novici Biotech LLC is a private biotechnology company offering proprietary synthetic biology tools and directed evolution capabilities to advance the product-focused goals of our clients in the pharmaceutical, agricultural, and industrial fields. Novici’s patented GRAMMR® technology for high-resolution genetic reassortment is at the heart of our ability to enhance gene functionality at both the nucleotide and protein level. Novici is focused on bringing to market these unique synthetic biology technologies, including the means to empirically optimize the codon usage structure of any gene to endow it with optimal expression yield, protein folding integrity, and cell type compatibility, and to optimize protein structure and function for commercial use. For more information, please visit our website: www.novicibiotech.com..
CARLSBAD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE), a provider of innovative life science solutions, today announced that it has signed an exclusive license agreement for ErrASE, a commercially available DNA error-correction kit developed by Novici Biotech LLC to increase accuracy and accelerate the pace of research in the field of synthetic biology.
"A prerequisite of building higher-scale DNA assemblies is the availability of tools to enable accuracy in the final DNA sequence"
Under the terms of the agreement, Life Technologies plans to integrate the error-correction technology into its synthetic biology offerings and also retains all rights to sub-license it. ErrASE will remain available for research purposes through Novici until the product is launched under the Life Technologies brand.
ErrASE is an enzymatic technology that dramatically reduces errors in synthetic gene sequences by detecting and correcting mismatched based pairs that can be introduced either by short DNA synthesis or during PCR assembly. Accuracy in the genetic code is paramount in synthetic biology, one aspect of which involves the engineering of synthetic genes in an effort to create new organisms -- such as bacteria, algae or even plants -- that can generate fuels and chemicals currently being made from fossil fuels. The innovative technology used in ErrASE allows for larger, more accurate synthetic DNA sequences, saving researchers time and cost associated with inaccuracies in the gene synthesis process. “A prerequisite of building higher-scale DNA assemblies is the availability of tools to enable accuracy in the final DNA sequence,” said Nathan Wood, Vice President of Genomics for Life Technologies. “ErrASE forms one part of a larger suite of DNA synthesis and assembly tools that fulfill the growing needs of synthetic biology researchers.” This licensing agreement is part of the company’s larger strategic initiative to expand its presence in the rapidly evolving synthetic biology market, which is estimated to reach up to $2.4 billion by 2013, according to a report by BCC Research. By providing highly efficient and reliable tools and services, Life Technologies is enabling researchers around the world to address new technology applications in energy, chemical production, bioremediation and agriculture.
About Life Technologies (www.lifetechnologies.com)
Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE) is a global biotechnology tools company dedicated to improving the human condition. Our systems, consumables and services enable researchers to accelerate scientific exploration, driving to discoveries and developments that make life even better. Life Technologies customers do their work across the biological spectrum, working to advance personalized medicine, regenerative science, molecular diagnostics, agricultural and environmental research, and 21st century forensics. Life Technologies had sales of $3.3 billion in 2009, employs approximately 9,000 people, has a presence in approximately 160 countries, and possesses a rapidly growing intellectual property estate of approximately 3,900 patents and exclusive licenses. Life Technologies was created by the combination of Invitrogen Corporation and Applied Biosystems Inc., and manufactures both in-vitro diagnostic products and research use only-labeled products. For more information on how we are making a difference, please visit our website: http://www.lifetechnologies.com.
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This press release includes forward-looking statements about our anticipated results that involve risks and uncertainties. Some of the information contained in this press release, including, but not limited to, statements as to industry trends and Life Technologies’ plans, objectives, expectations and strategy for its business, contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. When used, the words “believe,” “plan,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “target,” “estimate,” “expect” and the like, and/or future tense or conditional constructions (“will,” “may,” “could,” “should,” etc.), or similar expressions, identify certain of these forward-looking statements. Important factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are detailed in filings made by Life Technologies with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Life Technologies undertakes no obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
Novici Biotech LLC is a private biotechnology company providing synthetic biology tools and directed evolution services to advance the product-focused goals of our clients in the pharmaceutical, agricultural, and industrial fields. Novici’s patented GRAMMR® technology for high-resolution genetic reassortment is at the heart of our capability to enhance gene functionality at both the nucleotide and protein level. Novici is focused on bringing to market these unique synthetic biology technologies, including the capability to empirically optimize the codon usage structure of any gene to endow it with optimal expression yield, protein folding integrity, and cell type compatibility, and to optimize protein structure and function for commercial use. For more information, please visit our website: http://www.novicibiotech.com..