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La Jolla and Mountain View,
California
September 12, 2000
Akkadix
Corporation, an international agricultural gene discovery and functional
genomics company and Pangene Corporation, a
functional genomics company producing pharmaceutical products and providing
genomics services, announced today the signing of an agreement for the license
of Pangene’s patent estate of enhanced Homologous Recombination (eHR) and
other related technologies to Akkadix for commercial use in the plant science
field. The license augments Akkadix’s own development program for homologous
recombination in plants.
Under the agreement, Akkadix has
been granted a license to Pangene’s homologous recombination technologies for
plant science applications. The license field includes an exclusive license to
eHR technologies for homology driven DNA modification and rearrangement with
certain field of use restrictions, and a non-exclusive license for DNA cloning.
Pangene’s eHR technologies are being incorporated into Akkadix’s homologous
recombination based Genome Enhancement Methods (GEMs) for plant genome
improvement. Pangene has reserved rights for a pre-existing third party license
agreement and retained exclusive rights to all uses of its technology for
therapeutic, diagnostic and preventative applications to pursue its’ own
business interests.
Additionally, under this
transaction, Pangene has been granted a non-exclusive cross-license to Akkadix’s
proprietary bioinformatics technology. Pangene and Akkadix have also agreed to
cross-license improvements to the licensed technologies that either of them
develops during the next three years.
Pangene invented, patented and
commercializes eHR technologies that enhance the natural process of homologous
recombination used by cells to repair and recombine DNA. Pangene’s genetic
engineering technologies enable rapid and precise gene recombination, gene
isolation and gene sequence insertions, deletions or replacements.
"Homologous Recombination
technology in plants heralds fundamental major scientific advances for
applications in plant biotechnology. It will accelerate the pace of
commercialization of plant products by allowing plant genomes to be specifically
modified and improved with high precision in an efficient and cost effective
manner" said Jerry Caulder, Chairman and CEO of Akkadix Corporation.
"Akkadix’s homologous recombination based GEMs enables the accelerated
evolution of plants by precise engineering to produce higher quality food and
fiber more efficiently. This technology will be used to build novel ‘bio-factory’
farms for the "harvesting" of genomics products and targeted chemicals
produced in plants. We are pleased to be associated with Pangene, the leader in
the homology driven functional genomics field".
"Pangene’s patents
together with Akkadix’s own homologous recombination and other plant science
intellectual property make for a strong marriage of these platform technologies.
As a tool for functional genomics, these homology driven technologies accelerate
the process of gene cloning and gene function assignment programs for production
of high value crops and plant products," added Leo Kim, Executive Vice
President and Chief Technical Officer of Akkadix Corporation.
"Pangene has strategically
partnered with Akkadix because our complementary technologies can significantly
improve plant product development and enable commercialization of genetically
defined next generation homologous recombinant AgBio products. Akkadix has a
solid platform recombination technology for commercialization of applications of
homologous recombinant plant products. Their valuable germplasm, intellectual
resources, strong management and scientific teams and significant network of
relationships accelerate and enhance the use of homologous recombination
technology in Agriculture. We are working together towards building a long term
strategic partnership between Pangene and Akkadix," said David Zarling,
President and CEO of Pangene Corporation.
Akkadix Corporation is a global
agricultural biotechnology company using gene discovery, functional genomics,
bioinformatics, homologous recombination, plant breeding and other technologies
for the discovery and delivery of novel plant traits which improve health and
safety, increase production, lower costs, help preserve the environment and
create new opportunities for clearly defined agricultural products.
Equity funding for Akkadix
Corporation has come from venture capital investments by Bay City Capital Fund
I, L.P, North American Nutrition and Agribusiness Fund, LP (which is also
managed by Bay City Capital, LLC.), and the Missouri Soybean Merchandising
Council. Corporate shareholders include Axys Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Forage
Genetics, Inc. and Pangene Corporation. For more information about Akkadix,
visit Akkadix web site at http://www.akkadix.com.
Pangene Corporation is a
privately held functional genomics and pharmaceutical company. Pangene uses
enhanced homologous DNA recombination technology to isolate, clone and reprogram
genes. Pangene’s genetic engineering technology enables rapid high throughput
determination of gene functions and identification of gene dysfunctions
underlying diseases. Access to this homologous recombination technology platform
is available through Pangene’s world wide web genomics interface. Pangene uses
its proprietary functional genomics tools for development of pharmaceutical
products to regulate tumors and metabolic diseases. To get more information
about Pangene visit the Pangene web site at http://www.pangene.com.
Akkadix related news
In August, Akkadix announced
the signing of a three-year agreement with the Missouri Soybean
Merchandising Council relating to the funding of research directed to
the improvement of soybean crops. The research, which will be funded
by MSMC and managed by Akkadix, will be carried out principally at the
University of Missouri. Intellectual property that is developed under
the sponsored research programs will be licensed to Akkadix for
further development and commercialization, with Missouri farmers being
the initial beneficiaries of the programs.
In July, Akkadix announced
that it had entered into a three-year agreement with the John Innes
Centre in Norwich, UK for a "targeted" activation tagging
("T-Tag™") research program for gene discovery in the
areas of disease resistance and plant natural product biosynthesis.
This program has been integrated into the large-scale T-Tag program
previously established at the University of Edinburgh.
In May, Akkadix announced
that it had acquired exclusive rights to a gene discovery technology
("TraitFinder™" technology) that was developed jointly by
Dr. Martin Yanofsky at the University of California, San Diego and Dr.
Detlef Weigel at The Salk Institute, and that it had entered into
exclusive consulting agreements with the aforementioned scientists,
and Dr. Julian Schroeder of the University of California, San Diego,
to advise Akkadix on utilizing this technology for the identification
of new plant traits. Dr. Joanne Chory, a member of Akkadix’s
Scientific Advisory Board will also participate as an advisor to this
unique program.
In March, Akkadix announced
the extension and expansion of its research relationship with the
University of Edinburgh for an additional period of three years.
Research activities under this relationship comprise seven separately
funded areas: Plant growth control; Plant stature and organ size;
Embryo, seed and fruit development; Disease, pathogen and pest
resistance; Plant primary and secondary metabolism; and Natural
product pathways. Developments arising under these programs will be
available to Akkadix on an exclusive worldwide bass for all crops.
In February, Akkadix announced
that it had licensed certain gene technologies developed by Dr. Vicki
B. Vance from the South Carolina Research Institute. The licensed gene
technologies are useful to ensure durable, high-level expression of
transgenes in crop plants. In addition Akkadix also announced that it
had entered into a three-year research Agreement to fund Dr. Vance’s
on-going research into an important viral defense phenomenon in plants
known as post-transcriptional gene silencing.
In January of this year,
Akkadix announced the establishment of a
research collaboration with The Philippine Rice Institute (PhilRice)
for gene discovery in rice. Developments arising under this
"Rice-Tag™" program will also be available to Akkadix on a
worldwide basis, and to PhilRice for use in the Philippines.
Company news release
N2990 |
