Category Archives: Genetic Engineering

Belgian investigators have improved the flavor of contemporary beer by identifying and engineering a gene that is responsible for much of the flavor of beer and some other alcoholic drinks. The research appears in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology.

For centuries, beer was brewed in open, horizontal vats. But in the 1970s, the industry switched to using large, closed vessels, which are much easier to fill, empty, and clean, enabling brewing of larger volumes and reducing costs. However, these modern methods produced inferior quality beer, due to insufficient flavor production.

During fermentation, yeast converts 50 percent of the sugar in the mash to ethanol, and the other 50 percent to carbon dioxide. The problem: the carbon dioxide pressurizes these closed vessels, dampening flavor.

Johan Thevelein, Ph.D., an emeritus professor of Molecular Cell Biology at Katholieke Universiteit, and his team had pioneered technology for identifying genes responsible for commercially important traits in yeast. They applied this technology to identify the gene(s) responsible for flavor in beer, by screening large numbers of yeast strains to evaluate which did the best job of preserving flavor under pressure. They focused on a gene for a banana-like flavor because it is one of the most important flavors present in beer, as well as in other alcoholic drinks, said Thevelein, who is also founder of NovelYeast, which collaborates with other companies in industrial biotechnology.

To our surprise, we identified a single mutation in the MDS3 gene, which codes for a regulator apparently involved in production of isoamyl acetate, the source of the banana-like flavor that was responsible for most of the pressure tolerance in this specific yeast strain, said Thevelein.

Thevelein and coworkers then used CRISPR/Cas9, a revolutionary gene editing technology, to engineer this mutation in other brewing strains, which similarly improved their tolerance of carbon dioxide pressure, enabling full flavor. That demonstrated the scientific relevance of our findings, and their commercial potential, said Thevelein.

The mutation is the first insight into understanding the mechanism by which high carbon dioxide pressure may compromise beer flavor production, said Thevelein, who noted that the MDS3 protein is likely a component of an important regulatory pathway that may play a role in carbon dioxide inhibition of banana flavor production, adding, how it does that is not clear.

The technology has also been successful in identifying genetic elements important for rose flavor production by yeast in alcoholic drinks, as well as other commercially important traits, such as glycerol production and thermotolerance.

Reference:Souffriau B, Holt S, Hagman A, et al. Polygenic Analysis of Tolerance to Carbon Dioxide Inhibition of Isoamyl Acetate Banana Flavor Production in Yeast Reveals MDS3 as Major Causative Gene. App Enviro Micro. 2022;88(18):e00814-22. doi:10.1128/aem.00814-22

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Microbiologists Improve the Flavor of Beer - Technology Networks

Century Therapeutics, Inc.

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Century Therapeutics (NASDAQ: IPSC), an innovative biotechnology company developing induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cell therapies in immuno-oncology, today announced the appointment of Daphne Quimi and Timothy Walbert to the Companys Board of Directors. Ms. Quimi is currently Chief Financial Officer of Amicus Therapeutics and brings experience in public accounting and financial reporting to Century. Mr. Walbert is currently Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Horizon Therapeutics, and brings expertise in product portfolio building and commercialization. In conjunction with these new appointments, Century also announced that Eli Casdin, Chief Investment Officer of Casdin Capital, has resigned from the Board of Directors, effective as of October 1, 2022.

I am thrilled to welcome both Daphne and Tim to our Board. They will each play critical roles as we accelerate our next-generation cell therapy platform, said Lalo Flores, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, Century Therapeutics. Daphnes strong financial background and experience at both biotechnology and large pharmaceutical companies will be a tremendous asset as we enter the next transformative years for Century. Tims background, which includes numerous product launches, will be instrumental to our continued evolution, particularly as we progress our pipeline candidates with the ultimate goal of delivering innovative cancer therapies. Additionally, on behalf of the management, Board and all of our employees, we would like to thank Eli for his contributions to Centurys rapid growth and his leadership in our early formative years, where he was a key strategic thought partner.

Before serving as Amicuss Chief Financial officer, Ms. Quimi was Amicuss Senior Vice President, Finance and Corporate Controller. Ms. Quimi is currently a member of the Board of Directors at Amylyx Pharmaceuticals. Prior to Amicus, Ms. Quimi served as Director of Consolidations and External Reporting at Bristol-Myers Squibb. She also held roles of increasing responsibility in the finance department at Johnson & Johnson. Earlier in her career she worked for KPMG. Ms. Quimi received a B.S. in Accountancy from Monmouth University and an M.B.A from the Stern School of Business of New York University.

In addition to his current role of President and Chief Executive Officer of Horizon Therapeutics, Mr. Walbert has served as Chairman of Horizons Board of Directors since 2010. Before joining Horizon, Mr. Walbert served as President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of IDM Pharma Inc., and also held prior senior roles at NeoPharm Inc., Abbott (AbbVie), G.D. Searle & Company, Merck & Co. Inc. and Wyeth. Mr. Walbert received a B.A. in Business from Muhlenberg College.

About Century Therapeutics

Century Therapeutics (NASDAQ: IPSC) is harnessing the power of adult stem cells to develop curative cell therapy products for cancer that we believe will allow us to overcome the limitations of first-generation cell therapies. Our genetically engineered, iPSC-derived iNK and iT cell product candidates are designed to specifically target hematologic and solid tumor cancers. We are leveraging our expertise in cellular reprogramming, genetic engineering, and manufacturing to develop therapies with the potential to overcome many of the challenges inherent to cell therapy and provide a significant advantage over existing cell therapy technologies. We believe our commitment to developing off-the-shelf cell therapies will expand patient access and provide an unparalleled opportunity to advance the course of cancer care. For more information on Century Therapeutics please visit http://www.centurytx.com.

Century Therapeutics Forward-Looking Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of, and made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of, The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as may, might, will, should, expect, plan, aim, seek, anticipate, could, intend, target, project, contemplate, believe, estimate, predict, forecast, potential or continue or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. These statements are not guarantees of future performance These risks and uncertainties are described more fully in the Risk Factors section of our most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available at http://www.sec.gov. You should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The events and circumstances reflected in our forward-looking statements may not be achieved or occur, and actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Except as required by applicable law, we do not plan to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise.

For More Information:

Company: Elizabeth Krutoholow investor.relations@centurytx.com

Investors: Melissa Forst/Maghan Meyers century@argotpartners.com

Media: Joshua R. Mansbach century@argotpartners.com

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Century Therapeutics Announces Appointment of Daphne Quimi and Timothy Walbert to its Board of Directors - Yahoo Finance

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BUFFALO, N.Y., Oct. 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) 22nd Century Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: XXII),a leading agricultural biotechnology company dedicated to improving health with reduced nicotine tobacco, hemp/cannabis, and hops advanced plant technologies,announced today that James A. Mish, Chief Executive Officer, will present and host investor meetings at the 7th Annual Dawson James Small Cap Growth Conference being held Wednesday, October 12, 2022, at the Wyndham Grand Hotel in Jupiter, Florida.

The Company will host a group presentation at 10:30 am Eastern Time on October 12. A live and archived webcast of the presentation will be available for viewing under the Events Link at 22nd Century Groups Investor Relations website.

Institutional investors participating in the conference can request a meeting with management through their Dawson James representative or by contacting 22nd Century Groups investor relations team via investorrelations@xxiicentury.com.

About 22nd Century Group, Inc.22nd Century Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:XXII) is a leading agricultural biotechnology company focused on tobacco harm reduction, reduced nicotine tobacco and improving health and wellness through plant science. With dozens of patents allowing it to control nicotine biosynthesis in the tobacco plant, the Company has developed proprietary reduced nicotine content (RNC) tobacco plants and cigarettes, which have become the cornerstone of theFDAs Comprehensive Planto address the widespread death and disease caused by smoking. The Company received the first and only FDA MRTP authorization of a combustible cigarette in December 2021. In tobacco, hemp/cannabis, and hop plants, 22nd Century uses modern plant breeding technologies, including genetic engineering, gene-editing, and molecular breeding to deliver solutions for the life science and consumer products industries by creating new, proprietary plants with optimized alkaloid and flavonoid profiles as well as improved yields and valuable agronomic traits.

Learn more atxxiicentury.com, onTwitter, onLinkedIn, and onYouTube.

Learn more about VLNattryvln.com.

Investor Relations & Media Contact:Mei Kuo22nd Century Group, Inc.Director, Communications & Investor Relationsmkuo@xxiicentury.com

Darrow Associates Investor RelationsMatt KrepsT: 214-597-8200mkreps@darrowir.com

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22nd Century Group (Nasdaq: XXII) to Participate in the Dawson James Small Cap Growth Conference on October 12 - Financial Post

The 2022 study, published in Gastroenterology, evaluated whether fermentable fiber increased the risk of liver cancer in mice with a specific congenital defect. 90% of the mice showed no signs of cancer when fed a standard diet. But the mice who ate diets enriched with the fermentable fiber inulin became more likely to develop liver injury and liver cancer. The mice also had elevated bile acid (BA) levels, a marker that predicts liver cancer.

Inulin is a soluble fiber that occurs naturally in plant foods like raw onion, garlic, wheat, barley, and chicory root(per Medical News Today). When eaten in its natural form, inulin is considered safe for most people. But inulin is also artificially manufactured, either as chicory inulin or as high-performance (HP) inulin, which is made by removing some molecules from natural inulin. Food manufacturers add inulin to processed foods like protein bars, drinks, yogurt, and baked goods to replace sugar and fat and to improve texture.

WebMD considers inulin a beneficial prebiotic fiber that helps good bacteria grow in the gut, helping to maintain a healthy gut biome. But the 2022 study, along with another 2018 study by researchers at the University of Toledo, shows inulin increases the risk for liver cancer in some mice (via Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News). Human studies are needed to determine if inulin has similar effects on people, but for now, it may be safer to limit your consumption of processed foods.

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Study Finds Not All Fiber Is The Same And Some Can Be Hazardous To Your Health - Health Digest

A report published Wednesday exposes the "growing threat" of genetically engineered tree development around the world, with researchers urging a leading forest product certification body to maintain its longstanding ban on genetic modification.

"The convenience of trees that can survive glyphosate will likely result in the use of more glyphosate, more often."

"The global release of genetically engineered (GE or genetically modified) trees is closer than it has ever been," states the report, assembled by the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN) and the Campaign to STOP GE Trees. "This advancement is a significant concern because the release of GE trees would pose serious threats to forests and other ecosystems, as well as to many local communities and Indigenous peoples. The environmental impacts could be irreversible."

The report documents the status of GE tree development worldwide to identify where the risk of GE tree use on plantations or release into the wild is most immediate. It comes ahead of the Forest Stewardship Council's (FSC) general assembly from October 9-14 in Bali, Indonesia.

The FSCa nonprofit headquartered in Germany that operates a global market-based certification program for forest productsis currently reconsidering its 27-year ban on GE trees, much to the chagrin of civil society groups around the globe.

As the report notes, the FSC and other so-called "sustainable forest management" organizations that certify products according to their own social and environmental standards are facing pressure from major corporations and university biotechnology researchers to allow GE trees in their certification programs.

Next month in Bali, FSC members will vote on two motions that, if approved, would help preserve the group's prohibition on genetic modification.

However, "if the Forest Stewardship Council decides to embrace genetic engineering, it will free the Brazilian pulp and paper company Suzano to begin planting its eucalyptus trees that are genetically engineered to tolerate glyphosate herbicides," warned Lizzie Daz of the World Rainforest Movement.

To date, the only genetically modified forest tree released commercially was a GE poplar tree in 2002 in China.

Despite opposition from nearly three dozen environmental and social justice groups in Brazil and several others across the world, the Brazilian government approved Suzano's application for a GE glyphosate-tolerant eucalyptus tree last November. As an FSC-certified company, Suzano cannot start commercial planting of its GE tree unless the FSC drops its ban on genetic modification or Suzano leaves the organization.

According to the report:

Suzano claims that this GE eucalyptus "will allow more efficient weed control with lowered chemical load and improved worker conditions." However, this promise was also made by the biotechnology industry for the use of GE herbicide-tolerant crops and it proved false. Herbicide use increased significantly with the use of GE herbicide-tolerant crops in North America and South America. Pesticide use in soybean production in Brazil increased three-fold between 2000 and 2012 after the introduction of GE (Roundup Ready) soy. Official statistics show rates of glyphosate use increased significantly in both Brazil and Argentina where glyphosate-tolerant soy is 85% and 100% of all soy grown respectively.

Glyphosate is used to clear the land of other plants in order to prepare tree plantation sites and it is also applied to new plantations in the first few years of growth. As observed with GE crops, the convenience of trees that can survive glyphosate will likely result in the use of more glyphosate, more often. In the case of eucalyptus plantations, it may also encourage ariel spraying of new plantations where direct spraying of plants on the ground is the current norm.

[...]

Glyphosate is now the most widely used herbicide ingredient in the world. Brazil's health agency, Anvisa, concluded that there are health risks for people exposed to glyphosate when it is applied to crops and stipulated a safe distance be kept from populated areas when using it. This is important because many small communities are surrounded by eucalyptus plantations, just as others are surrounded by GE glyphosate-tolerant soy monocultures. Pesticide use in Brazil with GE soy causes injury to thousands of people each year.

Contrary to claims made by agro-chemical giants, the report finds no evidence that the introduction of genetically modified trees designed to be more productive will lead to land conservation. The further expansion of tree plantationsalong with increased social conflictis the more likely outcome, the authors warn.

"Tree plantations are not forests: they do not support the same biodiversity as forest ecosystems," the report stresses. "They often deplete water resources, degrade and erode soil, and make extensive use of chemical pesticides. The ecological impacts of plantations are felt by local communities, who are often left without livelihoods, food, or water, with little recourse."

"In 2018, more than one thousand women from the rural Landless Workers Movement (MST) in Brazil took over a mill owned by the pulp and paper company Suzano," the report notes. "The women's key grievances included the depletion of critical freshwater resources and the contamination of water by aerial spraying of pesticides on eucalyptus plantations."

Other key findings include:

"Development of genetically engineered trees is advancing despite the serious risks to our forests and continued opposition around the world," lead author Lucy Sharratt of CBAN said in a statement. "Our report shows that genetically engineered trees are closer than ever to being released even though interest is limited to just a handful of companies and university researchers."

Nevertheless, "genetically engineered trees are not inevitable," Sharratt continued. "Even if the research is very far advanced, or even approved for planting, GE trees still might never make it to market. Genetic engineering in trees is technically challenging, extremely risky for the environment, and globally, it's very controversial."

The report also points out, however, that "just as the development of GE trees is advancing, government regulation is retreating," thereby increasing the risks that such trees will be released.

"Many national governments are reducing or removing their oversight of the field testing and commercial release of new genetically modified organisms," the authors write. "This report may be the last opportunity to get a snapshot of GE tree field testing around the world."

"The gaps in our understanding of genetic engineering, tree biology, and forest ecology conspire to build a profile of tremendous uncertainty," the report adds. "At the same time, the enormous ability of trees to spread pollen and seeds increases the reach of potential environmental and social impacts across national borders and in violation of Indigenous sovereignty."

"Genetically engineered trees would also perpetuate environmentally and socially destructive industrial plantation production that contributes to the climate crisis," the authors conclude. "Instead of moving towards a climate solution, genetically engineered trees would add unnecessary risks to forests, with possible irreversible impacts."

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Experts Sound Alarm Over 'Growing Threat' of Genetically Engineered Trees - Common Dreams

Scientists have genetically modified a strain of the herpes virus to act as a cancer-killing agent in humans. Findings from an initial human trial are encouraging, with the experimental treatment proving safe and promisingly effective.

Viruses are one of humanitys oldest enemies, as we have all seen over the pandemic, explained Kristian Helen from the Institute of Cancer Research. But our new research suggests we can exploit some of the features that make them challenging adversaries to infect and kill cancer cells.

Called oncolytic viruses, researchers have long explored the potential for these tiny invaders to be recruited as cancer-killing soldiers. With the advent of genetic engineering over recent years scientists have finally been able to engineer viruses so they help instead of harm.

In this new research scientists have looked to modify a strain of the herpes simplex virus. The genetically modified virus, called RP2, has been engineered to only multiply within cancer cells, causing them to essentially inflate and explode.

The virus is designed to be directly injected into tumors and also act as an immune system alarm, attracting the bodys own cancer-killing cells by producing molecules that spark immune activity.

Our study shows that a genetically engineered, cancer-killing virus can deliver a one-two punch against tumors directly destroying cancer cells from within while also calling in the immune system against them, said Kevin Harrington, a researcher working on the project.

Initial findings from the first Phase 1 trial testing the oncolytic therapy in 39 patients were announced at a recent medical conference in Europe. Three of nine patients testing the viral therapy on its own saw their tumors shrink, while seven of the remaining 30 saw treatment benefits in combination with other immunotherapy.

This Phase 1 trial was primarily focused on establishing whether the treatment is safe, and no serious adverse effects were detected. Because it was just a safety trial the patients recruited spanned a number of different cancer types, so future trials will better target the most effective cancers for this therapy.

It is rare to see such good response rates in early-stage clinical trials, as their primary aim is to test treatment safety and they involve patients with very advanced cancers for whom current treatments have stopped working, said Harrington. I am keen to see if we continue to see benefits as we treat increased numbers of patients.

Source: The Institute of Cancer Research

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Herpes virus genetically engineered to kill cancer - New Atlas

One of the leading causes of blindness in developed nations is neurodegenerative diseases of the retina. Therapeutic treatments are often unavailable, despite their critical role in enhancing patients lives. Significant interest existed in developing gene therapies for a group of diseases for which the underlying genes had already been identified; these diseases primarily affected photoreceptors. But gene-indepdendent approaches were required depending on the type and severity of the disease. Researchers are exploring several potential methods to slow the spread of disease or preserve retinal function. Neuroprotection, direct reprogramming of damaged photoreceptors, non-coding (ribonucleic acid) RNAs, optogenetic strategies for creating artificial photoreceptors, and cell replacement therapies are examples of interventions. Recent advances have been made, such as the first optogenetic application to a blind patient whose visual function was partially recovered by targeting retinal ganglion cells. RPE (Retinal Pigment Epithelium) cell transplantation therapies are also being studied in clinics, and they hold great promise for restoring sight to the visually impaired. Human embryonic stem cells were used to create these cells. There has been extensive testing of photoreceptor replacement therapies in pre-clinical models. Taking advantage of advances in genetic engineering, optogenetics, and stem-cell research, this is just the beginning of promising new cures. Here is a summary of the current state of gene-independent therapeutics and a highlight of the recent advances that have been made. Since photoreceptors are essential for light perception but are particularly susceptible to degenerative diseases, they are the primary focus of this research.

Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1350946222000258

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Gene-independent Therapeutic Interventions in Degenerating Photoreceptors - Physician's Weekly

The NationalBioengineeredFood Disclosure Standard(NBFDS) which narrowlydefines bioengineered foods as those that contain detectable genetic material that has been modified through certain lab techniques and cannot be created through conventional breeding or found in nature kind of shot in the middle and missed every constituency,"observes Nate Ensrud, VP, US technical services, certification, and food safety solutionsatFoodChain ID, which helps firms to comply with the standard.

For some stakeholders in the natural foods industry, he says,it missed the mark,both in scope (the definition fails to capture thousands of products that have been produced with genetic engineering) and application (many objected to bioengineered vs GMO as the chosen terminology and the option to use digital disclosures on food labels).

For other stakeholders who believeslapping a blanket statement about bioengineering (which has thousands of different applications) on a jar of pasta sauce is about as useful as saying 'science was used to make this product," the NBFDS in its current form is just acostlybureaucratic headachewithout any obvious consumer benefit.

A major sticking point is the definitionof bioengineered, which excludes meat and dairy from animals fed GM feed, incidental additives, and highly refined oils and sweeteners made from GM crops such as soybean oil and high fructose corn syrup if they contain no detectable modified DNA.

Gene-edited foods, in turn, occupy something of a grey area. They may not contain detectable genetic material that has been modified through traditional rDNA techniques, but how easy is it for a third party to determine if gene-edited material meets the definition ofcannot be created through conventional breeding or found in nature?

Back in the day, says Ensrud, We were mostly talking about a series of crops that very obviously had genes inserted to express different traits.

"But since then, theres been a substantial proliferation of gene-edited products, products made using synthetic biology and so on, and while the [alternative meat, egg, and dairy]movement used to be pretty aligned, this is not the case anymore [as anyone following the social media debate about whether 'biotech' companies should be allowed to exhibit at Natural Products Expo West can see].

For example, under the NBFDS, firms deployingsynthetic biologyto re-tool the DNA of microbes to produce everything from flavors, sweeteners, and colors to animal-free collagen, egg, or dairy proteins are not required to label their ingredients as 'bioengineered' if there is no detectable level of the genetically modified host micro-organism in the final product.

This means that milk, ice cream, or cream cheese containing Perfect Days animal-free whey protein, which is expressed by a genetically engineered strain of fungi in a fermentation tank; or beverages containing Cargills EverSweet Reb M sweetener, made by GM bakers yeast, will not trigger a bioengineered label, if no GM material is detectable in the final ingredient.

However, burgers containing Motif FoodWorks 'meaty' animal-free heme protein myoglobin which is also made in a fermentation tank using a pichia pastoris yeast strain probably will trigger a bioengineered disclosure under the NBFDS, as trace amounts of the host microbe may be in the final product, says the company.

But even for exactly the same ingredient - myoglobin - no two companies producing this via fermentation are necessarily subject to the same labeling requirements when it comes to bioengineered food, saysBelgian startup Paleo, which has engineered a strain of pichia pastoristo express myoglobin in an extra-cellular fashion (it's secreted outside the cell).

This means its easier to separate myoglobin from the yeast cells during downstream processing and purification, such that Paleo'smyoglobin would not trigger bioengineered labeling in the US and would not be subject to EU GMO regulations, argues co-founder Hermes Sanctorum.

"Weve tested our heme proteins through PCR and there is no recombinant DNA whatsoever in our products.

The difficulty for companies trying to navigate this minefield is that the NBFDS doesn't really talk much about microbes"or much less explain how you label them with the exception of something like certain probiotics where genetically engineered bacteria might be the end product itself [rather than a production platform for something else], notes Ensrud.

To further complicate matters, he says:Then theres a really vague section of the of NBFDS that says if a company has actual knowledge its using something bioengineered, even if a food is not on the BE list, it is supposed to make a disclosure, which feels like a throwaway line, but how do you determine that?

He adds:We don't know a lot about how this will be enforced because the USDA has been clear that they're not going to be proactively enforcing this, but will be reliant on complaints. And so far, we havent seen very many well-structured complaints that can help us say, these are the areas that companies are going to challenge, and I don't know that it's going to be one of the first areas people think about because microbes are not included in the list of bioengineered foods.

USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has so farreceived just seven complaints alleging violations of the standard, said a spokesperson.

"If anyone suspects a violation may have occurred, they can file a written complaint with the AMS administrator by mail or on the AMS website. The administrator determines whether reasonable grounds exist for an investigation of the complaint, and if so, may request records from the entity responsible for disclosure. Based on those records, AMS will make its findings available to the regulated entity and provide them with an opportunity for a hearing. After the hearing, or if a hearing was not requested, once AMS has finalized its findings, AMS will make public a summary of the results of the investigation."

AMS does not have the authority to issue a recall or impose civil penalties for violations of the standard. However, states may adopt identical requirements and impose remedies for violations of their standards, explained the spokesperson. "USDA is not aware that any state has acted to impose such remedies."

The detectability factor makes practical sense, argue many stakeholders: if there's noGMOactually in the food, why should you have to label it?

But for organizations such as the Non-GMO Project that take issue withgenetic engineering in the food supply chain per se, whether there's actually any 'modified genetic material' left in soybean oil or a natural flavor is hardly the point, notes Ensrud.

Their goal is to establish a GMO-free supply chain, and so the gap between their definition of what should be labeled GMO and the NBFDS is an ocean wide.

Having said that, the Non-GMO Project has arguably gained traction as a result of all this confusion, given that foods without bioengineered labels are not necessarily Non-GMO given the narrow scope of the federal law, prompting shoppers that care about avoiding genetic engineering to seek outthe butterfly logo while shopping if they want to be sure.

So what about disclosure options, which like everything else in theNBFDS, have generated a lot of controversy? The standardpermits multiple options:

Aspects of the digital disclosure options have just been successfully challenged in a lawsuitbrought by the Center for Food Safety and others, with a court sending USDA back to the drawing board to make revisions consistent with Congressional requirements around consumer access.

So what does this mean for companies currently using the QR code or text message option? According to Ensrud, We did see some companies choose to use the QR code, but not a large majority by any means. The ones that were choosing QR codes told us they liked the flexibility, as perhaps they were still trying to remove some bioengineered foods from their supply chain and would move from having to disclose to not having to disclose, which would require a change in labels, which can be costly and laborious.

The opposite is also possible. If a company has to make an emergency shift from a non-GMO source to a GMO source for an ingredient [not that unusual given current supply chain volatility], it would likely change the labeling requirements. For companies that have less settled supply chains, this change in requirements could make things more difficult.

Sam Jockel, a senior associate at law firm Alston & Bird, noted that There is still an opportunity for either USDA or the plaintiffs in this case to appeal theruling, which I am watching for.

According to George Kimbrell, legal director at the Center for Food Safety, which filed the lawsuit challenging many aspects of the NBFDS, The Court did not set a deadline, but under law agencies cannot unduly delay such action and must complete it in a reasonable time.

Should the order ultimately stand, said Jockel,it appears that USDA would have discretion in terms of timing as the court did not set any deadlines for USDA to conduct its post-remand proceedings.

For those who think this means that the QR code will go away, added Jockel, The statute passed by Congress requires an electronic/digital link disclosure as one of the options along with the text and symbol, so the QR code option is not going away.

The Consumer Brands Association said it is still reviewing the court order, but added:"We plan to stay engaged during the forthcoming rulemaking and legal process, especially considering the potential impact on the companies using QR codes or texts. Consumer Brands will also continue supporting the valuable role digital disclosures play in boosting consumer transparency through programs like SmartLabel.

Jockel also noted that the scope of the products that require mandatory disclosure is actually subject to change.

Companies will want to watch for any updates to thelist of BE Foodsas AMS is required to review and consider updates on an annual basis. As the judges order put it in reference to the agencys regular updates to the List of BE Foods, AMS did not ignore the likelihood of progress. As evidence of that, the agency is currently proposing to expand the list to include insect-resistant sugarcane.

Greg Jaffe, biotechnology project director at the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), told us that an informal surveyconducted in his local Giant grocery store earlier in the year found that almost no companies use the symbol on the package with most seeming to opt for the bioengineered food or contains a bioengineered food ingredient option, although several brands had adopted QR codes.

My informal survey also found many foods disclose even though they probably only have highly refined ingredients, so companies are clearly erring on the side of giving more information to the consumer than might be required.

So has the law helped consumers make informed choices? Or are blanket references to bioengineered foods just wallpaper to busy shoppers?

I think that the law has provided consumers who want to know this information, more information than they would receive without the law, said Jaffe, who described it as a step in the right direction in terms of transparency, in part because companies were not providing this information voluntarily anywhere for the consumer who wanted it.

He added:I dont think many consumers look for this information or make purchasing choices based on it. With that said, for many consumers, knowing that there is transparency and information is available is important (i.e. knowing that information that some people might want is not hidden or inaccessible).

Asked about the growing number of ingredients produced by genetically engineered microbes, he said:Many ingredients made with engineered organisms also will not require disclosure, but I think it is important that those companies are transparent and provide information to consumers about the origin of the ingredients in their products, whether or not it has to be disclosed as bioengineered.

Being transparent with consumers will build trust, educate consumers about the use of biotechnology in foods, and allow for consumer choice.

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SPECIAL REPORT: Bioengineered food labeling: 'They kind of shot in the middle and missed every constituency' - FoodNavigator-USA.com

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Global Genome Editing Market Analysis and Forecast, By Application: Cell Line Engineering, Plant Genetic Engineering, Animal Genetic Engineering, Other Applications

The countries covered in the global Genome Editing market report are:

North America (U.S. , Canada, Mexico), Europe (Germany, France, U.K., Italy, Spain, Rest of the Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan India, Rest of APAC), South America (Brazil and Rest of South America), Middle East and Africa (UAE, South Africa, Rest of MEA).

The report covers the dominating players along with their market share in the global Genome Editing market. This section of the study document reveals a complete profile of the companies with capacity, production, price, revenue, cost, gross, gross margin, sales volume, sales revenue, consumption, growth rate, import, export, supply, future strategies, and technological developments. It contains an analysis of competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market.

Browse Full Report with TOC & List of Figure: https://www.fiormarkets.com/report/genome-editing-market-by-technology-zfn-talens-megatals-crispr-cas9-others-419241.html

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Then, it includes supply-demand statistics and segments that constrain the growth of an industry. Additionally, the report provides market drivers and challenges & opportunities for the overall global Genome Editing market in the particular provincial sections. The industry intelligence study of the global Genome Editing market covers the estimation size of the market each in phrases of value and volume. The report explains country-wise consumption and market size of the market. This study covers the inside and out factual examination and the market elements and requests which give an entire situation of the business.

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Genome Editing Market 2022-2029 : Industry Projections Featured by Existing Research Methodologies and Assumptions 2029 The Colby Echo News - The...

Its a great honor for Creative Biolabs to participate and exhibit at the 13th Annual World Bispecific Summit and showcase the one-stop bispecific antibody solutions covering services and products involved in the whole pipeline of antibody discovery.

New York, USA September 28, 2022 The 13th World Bispecific Summit gathering of bi-, tri-, and multispecific drug discovery and development scientists, has come to an end. With years of devotion to the advancement of biotechnology, Creative Biolabs is highly honored to exhibit at this great event on September 20 and would like to take this opportunity to thank all of clients and partners for stopping by booth #2 this year, and to thank the host, Hanson Wade, as well as the presenters and participants for making this summit a success!

The on-site scientist team elaborately prepared gifts and brochures and hope that all the guests enjoyed their visits and came away with relevant solutions to their inquiries. At the exhibition, Creative Biolabs also presented one-stop bispecific antibody (BsAb) solutions covering the services involved in the whole pipeline of antibody discovery, including but not limited to:

BsAb design: target-based and MOA-based design

BsAb engineering: bispecific fusion, BsAb conjugates, bispecific IgG generation, etc.

BsAb purification: protein A/G/L chromatography, tag-based purification, etc.

BsAb analysis: biochemistry characterization, stability analysis, PK/PD analysis, etc.

BsAb manufacturing: genetic engineering, chemical conjugation, hybrid-hybridoma, etc.

The dedicated team is ready to go above and beyond to support clients projects with custom BsAb products, as well as a full list of recombinant antibody products and antibody engineering services.

We appreciate the critical role that academic and industrial scientists play in the path of improving human health as they diligently pursue further scientific innovation and discovery. We would love to participate in these events to meet and connect with more researchers, and we are also dedicated to promoting biotech research by providing trustworthy products, services, and innovative ideas. said a scientist from Creative Biolabs at the 13th World Bispecific Summit.

Explore innovative BsAb solutions and stay up-to-date on the upcoming events at https://www.creative-biolabs.com/bsab.

About Creative Biolabs

With more than a decade of exploration and expansion, Creative Biolabs has been dedicated to offering services on antibody discovery, engineering, production, and analysis. Especially, the bispecific antibody (BsAb) team has gathered a collective of experienced scientists committed to providing high-quality services to customers all over the world, covering BsAb design, purification, engineering, manufacturing, and BsAb analysis service. Besides, a variety of standard or customized BsAb products are also available for different research applications.

Media ContactCompany Name: Creative BiolabsContact Person: Candy SwiftEmail: Send EmailPhone: 1-631-830-6441Country: United StatesWebsite: https://www.creative-biolabs.com/bsab

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Creative Biolabs Unveils One-Stop BsAb Solutions at 13th Annual World Bispecific Summit - Digital Journal