WILMINGTON, Del., March 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued a patent, US11920140, for the use of CRISPR technologies to edit organellar genomes to NAPIGEN, Inc., a biotechnology company that specializes in mitochondrial and chloroplast genome engineering.
The patented claims of US11920140 are directed to methods for altering the genomes of mitochondria or plastids. The mitochondria, also known as the powerhouses of cells, are critical components of plant, fungal, algal, and animal cells. These cellular organelles previously had been considered beyond the reach of CRISPR genome editing because of the challenges associated with delivering RNA or DNA into them.
“The issued patent demonstrates our commitment to obtaining broad patent protection over our unparalleled technologies in mitochondrial and chloroplast genome engineering,” said Dr. Emil Orozco, Jr., Vice President, Intellectual Property of NAPIGEN, Inc. “Our innovations will help enable greener agriculture with higher yields and effective pest management that lead to less impact on the climate. This technology will also help unlock novel approaches for the potential cure of heritable mitochondrial diseases and the production of key industrial biomolecules.”
In addition, NAPIGEN, Inc. announced that the United States Department of Agriculture awarded the company a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I grant. It is the third SBIR grant the company has received since its founding in 2016. The current grant project focuses on developing an herbicide-resistant trait that is incapable of pollen transmission to weedy plants by utilizing the company’s organelle genome engineering technology.
“The success of the project will especially help American rice farmers establish longer-lasting and healthier management of detrimental weedy rice and contribute to improved yields,” said Dr. Byung-Chun Yoo, Director, Business Development. “Along with the company’s ongoing development of efficient hybrid crop systems, it will help increase the competitiveness of U.S. agriculture and contribute to food security in the United States.”
NAPIGEN, Inc. raised $8 million in its Seed round two years ago. NAPIGEN, Inc. expects to complete a Series A financing this year to advance partnerships with agricultural companies to bring products to market.
About NAPIGEN, Inc.
NAPIGEN, Inc. is a biotechnology company that addresses novel genome engineering of various organisms, such as plants, microbes, and animals. Its technology targets mitochondria and chloroplasts, two special cellular components that harbor their own DNA and are important to create energy for cells to grow. NAPIGEN, Inc.’s genome technology has broad applications in agriculture, climate change, industrial biotechnology, and human and animal healthcare. A group of accomplished scientists, entrepreneurs, and investors founded the company including Dr. Hajime Sakai, Dr. Ganesh Kishore, Dr. Roger Wyse, and Dr. Jay Keasling. For more information, go to www.napigen.com.
Contact:
Daniel Levine
Levine Media Group
danny@levinemediagroup.com
(510) 280-5405
