Phytodyne, Inc. today announced the grant of a United States patent related to RetroGene™, the Company's retroviral transformation system for plants.

The patent (6,559,359) was issued to Loyola University of Chicago and is exclusively licensed to Phytodyne. The patent includes broad claims covering SIRE-1, a plant retrovirus, for the introduction of genetic information into soybeans and other plant species. Phytodyne also has an exclusive license from Iowa State University to another plant retrovirus. In 2001, broad claims related to this second retrovirus were granted in a U.S. patent (6,331,662).

"This recent patent strengthens Phytodyne's position as the premier company in the development of plant retroviruses as a plant transformation system," said Daniel Voytas, Phytodyne chairman, CEO, and co-founder. "It expands the scope of Phytodyne's patent estate by providing us substantial coverage over the two families of retroviruses in plants."

"Our patent position helps free our customers from the intellectual property uncertainties associated with current transformation methods," said Jon Leafstedt, Phytodyne president. "Our patent portfolio creates significant protection for this new transformation technology while opening a wider range of possibilities for Phytodyne and our customers to bring important new seed products to world agriculture."

Phytodyne is the discoverer of retroviruses in plants and will be the first to use plant retroviruses to transfer DNA to plants. RetroGene will be effective for transforming whole plants and will not require costly tissue culture and regeneration of plants from cells - methods that produce inconsistent results with current transformation technologies. RetroGene will provide a more cost-effective means of plant transformation that can be used on a wider range of crops than current transformation methods.

Phytodyne recently announced a multi-year research collaboration with BASF Plant Science GmbH, focused on the further development of RetroGene, that will accelerate commercialization of valuable soybean traits.

This is the fourth United States patent granted for Phytodyne's genome modification technologies. Phytodyne has numerous patent applications filed in the United States, with corresponding applications in major industrial nations. 

Phytodyne, Inc. is a biotechnology company with advanced methods and significant expertise in the precision engineering of plant genomes. The Company will employ its technologies to develop proprietary traits and crops for licensing to seed companies and the agricultural industry. Phytodyne will provide contract research services for seed companies and plant biotechnology firms and out-license its technologies to companies for their in-house use. The speed, accuracy, and flexibility of Phytodyne technologies, along with strong intellectual property positions, will accelerate product launch and reduce development costs while making possible valuable new traits and products. Phytodyne is currently collaborating with BASF Plant Sciences for development of novel soybean varieties.