Cibus Welcomes European Commission Proposal on Regulation of Plants Obtained from New Genomic Techniques
July 05 2023 - 3:05PM
Cibus, Inc. (Nasdaq: CBUS), a leading agricultural
technology company that develops and licenses plant traits to seed
companies, welcomed the European Commission proposal on the
regulation of plants obtained from New Genomic Techniques (NGTs).
The proposal was adopted by the EU College of Commissioners at
their meeting on July 5th and will now proceed to review in the
European Parliament and the Council of the European Union.
The proposal is a result of a European Commission study,
requested by EU Member States, which concluded that EU GMO
legislation was not fit for purpose in relation to applications of
NGTs in plants. NGTs include a variety of gene editing techniques
leading to genetic changes classed as targeted mutagenesis and
cisgenesis.
The proposal describes a category of NGTs producing
modifications that could be obtained in nature or by conventional
breeding. These are determined to be ‘Conventional-like’ and would
be regulated in the same way as conventional varieties.
The Commission identified NGTs as tools that could contribute to
greater food security and to the reduction of use and risk of
pesticides set out in the EU Green Deal’s Farm to Fork
strategy.
“The proposal is an important milestone with consequences beyond
improved international policy alignment,” said Tony Moran, Cibus
Senior Vice President of International Development and Government
Affairs. “The long-awaited legislative change would create a very
welcome stimulus for plant science innovation, especially in
academia and small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs), which in
turn would boost the contribution of NGTs to a sustainable EU
agri-food system.”
Using its RTDS® technology
platform, Cibus is developing Conventional-like traits in canola
and oilseed rape that could contribute to these goals. Cibus is
proud to be partnering with European oilseed rape breeders and
using RTDS to develop varieties that can reduce
seed losses due to pod shatter and increase resistance to diseases.
Within its disease resistance efforts, Cibus is developing traits
intended to provide durable resistance to diseases including
Sclerotinia White Mold.
“They are great examples of the potential of gene editing,” said
Carlo Broos, Vice President, Business Development at Cibus. “Our
traits for Pod Shatter Reduction and disease resistance are
intended to help growers reduce inputs, reduce costs and protect
yields. By doing so, Cibus is addressing the key elements for the
sustainability and profitability of farming.”
About RTDS
A key element of Cibus’ technology breakthrough is its patented
Rapid Trait Development System™ (RTDS®). The
proprietary technologies in RTDS integrate
crop specific cell biology platforms with a series of gene editing
technologies to enable a system of end-to-end crop specific
precision breeding. It is the core technology platform for Cibus’
Trait Machine™: the first standardized end-to-end semi-automated
crop specific gene editing system that directly edits a seed
company’s elite germplasm. The traits from the Trait Machine are
indistinguishable from traits developed using conventional breeding
or from nature. Under the European Commission proposal, products
from Cibus’ RTDS gene
editing platform such as canola and oilseed rape resistant to
disease or with reduced seed losses would be considered
‘Conventional-like'.
Cibus believes that RTDS and the Trait Machine
represent the technological breakthrough in plant breeding that is
the ultimate promise of plant gene editing: “High Throughput Gene
Editing Systems operating as an extension of seed company breeding
programs”. The technology moment that materially changes the speed,
breadth, and scale of trait development.
About Cibus
Cibus is part of the multi-billion-dollar plant seed industry.
Cibus is the leader in the new era of high throughput gene
editing technology that can develop plant traits precisely and
predictably at a fraction of the time and cost of conventional
breeding. Cibus is not a seed company. It is a technology company
that develops and licenses traits to seed companies in exchange for
royalties on seed sales. Cibus’ target market is Productivity
Traits that improve yields, lower input costs such as chemicals,
and increases the sustainability and profitability of farming. It
has a pipeline of six productivity traits including important
traits for pod shatter reduction, disease resistance, and nutrient
use efficiency. Cibus’ focus is scale, multi-crop traits that can
impact greater than 100 MM acres.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within
the meaning of applicable securities laws, including The Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other
than statements of present or historical fact included herein,
including statements regarding the benefits of the Act, Cibus’
operational performance, and Cibus’ strategy, future operations,
prospects and plans, are forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as
“anticipate,” “believe,” “intend”, “expect,” “plan,” “scheduled,”
“could,” “would” and “will,” or the negative of these and similar
expressions.
These forward-looking statements are based on the current
expectations and assumptions of Cibus’ management about future
events, which are based on currently available information. These
forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and
uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and beyond
the control of Cibus. There are many factors that could cause
Cibus’ actual results, level of activity, performance or
achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied
by forward-looking statements, including factors related to: (i)
risks associated with the possible failure to realize certain
anticipated benefits of the transactions contemplated by the merger
(the “Transactions”), including with respect to future financial
and operating results; (ii) the effect of the completion of the
Transactions on Cibus’ business relationships, operating results
and business generally; (iii) the outcome of any litigation related
to the merger agreement or Transactions; (iv) competitive responses
to the Transactions and changes in expected or existing
competition; (v) challenges to Cibus’ intellectual property
protection and unexpected costs associated with defending Cibus’
intellectual property rights; (vi) increased or unanticipated time
and resources required for Cibus’ platform or trait product
development efforts; (vii) Cibus’ reliance on third parties in
connection with its development activities; (viii) Cibus’ ability
to effectively license its productivity traits and sustainable
ingredient products; (ix) the recognition of value in Cibus’
products by farmers, and the ability of farmers and processors to
work effectively with crops containing Cibus’ traits; (x) Cibus’
ability to produce high-quality plants and seeds cost effectively
on a large scale; (xi) Cibus’ need for additional funding to
finance its activities and challenges in obtaining additional
capital on acceptable terms, or at all; (xii) Cibus’ dependence on
distributions from Cibus Global, LLC to pay taxes and cover Cibus’
corporate and overhead expenses; (xiii) regulatory developments
that disfavour or impose significant burdens on gene-editing
processes or products; (xiv) Cibus’ ability to achieve commercial
success; (xv) commodity prices and other market risks facing the
agricultural sector; and (xvi) technological developments that
could render Cibus’ technologies obsolete. In addition to these
factors, other known and unknown risks and uncertainties may
adversely affect such forward-looking statements and cause Cibus’
actual results, performance or achievements to be materially
different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking
statements. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties
occur, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual
results and plans could differ materially from those expressed in
any forward-looking statements. In addition, the forward-looking
statements included in this press release represent Cibus’ views as
of the date hereof. Cibus specifically disclaims any obligation to
update such forward-looking statements in the future, except as
required under applicable law. These forward-looking statements
should not be relied upon as representing Cibus’ views as of any
date subsequent to the date hereof.
CIBUS CONTACTS:
INVESTOR RELATIONSKaren
Troeberktroeber@cibus.com858-450-2636
MEDIA RELATIONSTheodore Lowentlowen@cibus.com914-343-6794
Colin Sanfordcolin@bioscribe.com203-918-4347
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