BEIJING, Oct. 21,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Origin Agritech Ltd.
(NASDAQ: SEED) (the "Company" or "Origin"), a leading Chinese
agricultural technology company, is pleased to announce the
establishment of the "Origin Marker Biological Breeding Service
Consortium" in partnership with China Golden Marker Biotechnology
Co., Ltd. This consortium is designed to license Origin's GMO
insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant (IR/HT) traits to a wider
range of industry players and to accelerate the application of
Origin's gene editing technology in breeding programs. The signing
ceremony for this new initiative took place at the 31st China Seed
Industry Conference in Beijing.
The consortium represents a significant step in advancing the
commercialization of Origin's cutting-edge GMO and gene editing
technologies. Following the Company's receipt of a GMO safety
certificate for its transgenic maize, BBL2-2, in May 2024, this consortium will play a key role in
promoting the licensing of these GMO traits to seed companies and
research institutes., providing a wider opportunity for broader
adoption by more industrial players across China's key agricultural
regions.
In addition, Origin Agritech's breakthrough gene editing
technology, including the world's first efficient genetic
transformation system for maize induction line Hi3, is central to
the consortium's mission. This gene editing system rapidly improves
key traits such as drought resistance, plant architecture, and
disease resilience in maize, reducing the traditional breeding
timeline from 3-4 years to just one. By integrating this technology
into Origin's breeding programs and its partners, the consortium
seeks to accelerate product development while expanding the royalty
opportunities for new, high-performing maize varieties.
China Golden Marker Biotechnology Co., Ltd., a leading high-tech
biotechnology company specializing in next-generation sequencing
(NGS), gene chip detection, and molecular marker technology, plays
a pivotal role in this consortium. China
Golden Marker has invested 67 million
yuan to establish a state-of-the-art molecular marker
laboratory capable of processing over 1 million samples and
generating over 1 billion SNP data points annually.
The consortium is currently advancing three key projects:
- Commercialization of the BBL2-2 GMO Maize Event:
Promoting and seeking partnerships for the commercialization of the
insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant genetically modified BBL2-2
maize.
- Advancement of Gene Editing for Maize: Promoting the
world's first maize-induced gene editing system, which can
accurately improve maize leaf angle, drought resistance, and other
traits within a year.
- Innovation in Maize Germplasm Resources: Utilizing the
consortium's rich mutant library and molecular marker-assisted
breeding techniques to drive innovation in maize germplasm
resources. These efforts will support breeding companies and
R&D teams in creating more diverse and resilient maize
varieties.
The consortium has established cooperative relationships with
dozens of breeding companies across China and is improving over 100
corn varieties. These varieties are planted in key corn-producing
regions, including Donghua North,
Huang Huai Hai, Northwest, and
Southwest China.
Bill Deng, Head of Research at
Origin Agritech, commented: "Origin Marker adheres to the concept
of 'making breeding easier.' By leveraging modern biotechnology, we
are committed to assisting the industry in breeding higher quality,
high-yield, and resilient corn varieties with greater accuracy and
efficiency. Our consortium will play a crucial role in advancing
sustainable agriculture in China."
Weibin Yan, Chief Executive
Officer of Origin Agritech, commented: "What matters most about
this consortium is how it will significantly accelerate the
commercialization of our GMO and gene editing technologies by a
bigger team and accessibility to more research institutes and seed
companies. By combining our groundbreaking innovations with the
advanced laboratory capabilities of China
Golden Marker, we are streamlining the path from lab to
market. This partnership will enable us to bring our high-impact
solutions to the agricultural industry faster than ever
before."
About Origin Agritech Limited
Origin Agritech Limited, founded in 1997 and headquartered in
Zhong-Guan-Cun (ZGC) Life Science Park in Beijing, is a leading Chinese agricultural
technology company. In crop seed biotechnologies, Origin Agritech's
phytase corn was the first transgenic corn to receive the
Bio-Safety Certificate from China's Ministry of Agriculture. Over
the years, Origin has established a robust biotechnology seed
pipeline, including products with glyphosate tolerance and pest
resistance (Bt) traits. For further information, please visit the
Company's website at www.originagritech.com. The Company also
maintains a Twitter account for updating investors on Company and
industry developments which is https://x.com/origin_agritech.
For more information, please contact:
Origin Agritech
Limited Contact:
Kate Lang (Mandarin/English)
Director of Investor Relations
Phone: +86 186-1839-3368
Email: bing.lang@originseed.com.cn
Investor Relations Contact:
Matthew Abenante, IRC
President
Strategic Investor Relations, LLC
Tel: 347-947-2093
Email: matthew@strategic-ir.com
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SOURCE Origin Agritech Limited