Monthly Archives: December 2020

By: Explained Desk | New Delhi | December 18, 2020 8:45:13 pmThis undated photo provided by Revivicor, Inc., a unit of United Therapeutics, shows a genetically modified pig. (Revivicor, Inc. via AP)

This week, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a first-of-its-kind intentional genomic alteration (IGA) in a line of domestic pigs referred to as GalSafe pigs. These pigs may be used for food and human therapeutics, the FDA has said. This will be the first time that the regulator has approved an animal biotechnology product for both food and biomedical purposes.

What is intentional genomic alteration?

Intentional genomic alteration in animals means making specific changes to the genome of the organism using modern molecular technologies that are popularly referred to as genome editing or genetic engineering. However, there are other technologies that can be used to make IGAs in animals.

Such changes in the DNA sequence of an animal may be carried out for research purposes, to produce healthier meat for human consumption and to study disease resistance in animals among other reasons. One example is of using IGAs to make an animal more susceptible to certain diseases such as cancer, which helps researchers get a better understanding of the disease and develop new therapies to treat it.

The FDA maintains that the only difference between an animal with an IGA and one that does not have an IGA is that the IGA gives them a new trait or characteristic, such as faster growth or resistance to certain diseases. Follow Express Explained on Telegram

Essentially, an IGA is inserted into an animal to change or alter its structure and function and the FDA makes sure that the IGA contained in the animal is safe for the animal and safe for anyone who consumes a product or food derived from the animal.

What does FDAs recent approval mean?

The FDA made the announcement this week and allowed IGA in GalSafe pigs to eliminate a type of sugar found in mammals called alpha-gal. This sugar is present on the surface of these pigs cells and when they are used for products such as medicines or food (the sugar is found in red meats such as beef, pork and lamb), the sugar makes some people with Alpha-gal Syndrome (AGS) more susceptible to developing mild to severe allergic reactions.

Since GalSafe pigs may potentially be used to produce human medical products, IGA will help eventually free these products from detectable alpha-gal sugar, thereby protecting their human consumers from potential allergies.

According to the FDA, GalSafe pigs may be used to make the blood-thinning drug heparin.

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Explained: What FDA nod for genetically modified pigs means - The Indian Express

The demand within the global spatial genomics and transcriptomics market is expanding at a stellar pace in the years to follow. Advancements in molecular biology have paved the way for revenue inflow into the global spatial genomics and transcriptomics market. The need for studying genetic patterns in humans, animals, and plants has generated new opportunities for market expansion, Genetic engineering has emerged as a robust domain within nascent biological sciences, creating room for experimentation and analysis. The applications of genomics in molecular biology and genetic studies has given a thrust to market expansion.

In this custom review, TMR Research delves into the extrinsic and intrinsic trends that are shaping the growth graph of the global spatial genomics and transcriptomics market. The domain of biological sciences has encapsulated new technologies for studying sizes, compositions, and archetypes of human genes. This is playing a vital role in driving sales across the global spatial genomics and transcriptomics market. This review also assesses the impact of advancements in genetic engineering to decode market growth.

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Spatial Genomics & Transcriptomics Market: Notable Developments

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Spatial Genomics & Transcriptomics Market: Growth Drivers

The high incidence of genetic disorders has probed the medical industry to invest in new technologies for genetic engineering and gene transfer studies. Several medical centers and research units are investing in the study of dyslexia, downs syndrome, and other genetic inconsistencies. This has created fresh avenues for growth across the global spatial genomics and transcriptomics market. In addition to this, the use of next-generation genetic studies for understanding genetic disorders has also given a thrust to market expansion.

The importance of microbiology in genetic studies has created a boatload of opportunities for growth and expansion across the global spatial genomics and transcriptomics market. The use of spatial genomics to understand the structure and composition of genes has enabled the inflow of fresh revenues into the global market. Besides, the use of genetic studies in the domain of veterinary care has also generated humongous opportunities for market expansion. The study of human and animal genes often goes hand-in-hand for the purpose of core research and analysis.

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Spatial Genomics & Transcriptomics Market Demand is Expanding at a Stellar Pace in the Years to Follow - BioSpace

These concerns have proven to be well founded. Many species of insects no longer respond to the effects of pesticides. World pesticide use has increased dramatically, but the percentage of crops lost to pests has not declined. Insects consume as much as one-third of the Asian rice crop annually, and in the United States losses of fruit and vegetable crops from plant diseases may exceed 20 percent. Clearly, just pouring on more chemicals is no answer.

From Food Irradiation: Will It Keep the Doctor Away? November/December 1997:

Nearly 200 people in the US, most of them children or elderly, die each week from illnesses they contract from food. This spring, President Clinton called for new steps using cutting-edge technology to keep our food safe. One of the technologies that Clinton singles out is food irradiation.

It will probably take some truly traumatic E. coli outbreak before the food industry gets serious about irradiation, says James Tillotson, director of the Food Policy Institute at Tufts University. Without such a crisis, consumers wouldnt think of demanding irradiated food and companies that explore irradiation [would be] open to attacks by activist groups. No one is willing to get that kind of attention, he says, even when they might be doing the best thing for consumers.

From Why We Will Need Genetically Modified Foods, January/February 2014:

Plant scientists are careful to note that no magical gene can be inserted into a crop to make it drought tolerant or to increase its yieldeven resistance to a disease typically requires multiple genetic changes. But many of them say genetic engineering is a versatile and essential technique. Its an overwhelmingly logical thing to do, says Jonathan Jones, a scientist at the Sainsbury Laboratory in the U.K. The upcoming pressures on agricultural production, he says, will affect millions of people in poor countries. At the current level of agricultural production, theres enough food to feed the world, says Eduardo Blumwald, a plant scientist at the University of California, Davis. But when the population reaches nine billion? he says. No way, Jos.

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From the archives - MIT Technology Review

WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y., Dec. 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 22nd Century Group, Inc. (NYSE American: XXII), a leading plant-based, biotechnology company focused on tobacco harm reduction, very low nicotine content tobacco, and hemp/cannabis research, announced today that it was granted a new U.S. patent related to the control of cannabinoid and terpene production in plants. This new intellectual property exclusively provides 22nd Century with unique and powerful tools to alter the cannabinoid biosynthesis pathway in hemp/cannabis plants.

"We are delighted to receive this patent, which is the result of work carried out by our own scientists. This important, new technology will allow us to genetically modify hemp/cannabis plants to modulate their cannabinoid and terpene profiles in order to tailor these plants therapeutic qualities and enhance the consumers hemp/cannabis experience," said Juan Sanchez Tamburrino, Ph.D., vice president of research & development at 22nd Century Group. "Our patent application describes eight promoters, which are essentially molecular on/off switches, covering all of the major steps in the cannabinoid biosynthesis pathway. Typically, developing hemp/cannabis plants with new cannabinoid or terpene profiles could take 10 to 20 years using traditional breeding methods. Now, with the combined technologies and know-how of 22nd Century and KeyGene, we expect to shorten the development timeline to create new, differentiated, hemp/cannabis plant lines in just 4 to 5 years. Doing so will provide the Company and its potential licensees and customers with significant competitive advantage as hemp/cannabis continues to penetrate the life science, consumer product, and pharmaceutical markets.

At 22nd Century Group, we take a scientific and solutions-oriented approach to advancing ground-breaking, plant-based technology. We are excited to secure this patent, and we believe that it demonstrates our unique and leading role in plant science innovation within the $100 billion global hemp/cannabis market, said James A. Mish, chief executive officer of 22nd Century Group.

The new patent, published as U.S. Patent No. 10,787,674 B2 and entitled "Trichome specific promoters for the manipulation of cannabinoids and other compounds in glandular trichomes," enables 22nd Century to develop and deliver new hemp/cannabis plants that are designed to produce cannabinoids more efficiently. The Company can potentially increase the yield of plants, stabilize the level of cannabinoids that are produced, and create custom cannabinoid profiles optimized for specific therapeutic uses. 22nd Century will also be able to potentially modulate the terpene levels within the plant increasing them to deliver new strains of cannabis for the adult-use/recreational market and reducing them to remove the odor and taste for improved application in foods and beverages.

Cannabinoids, such as CBD, CBC, and CBG, are valuable compounds that hold great promise for the development of new medicines and other therapeutic applications. Cannabis sativa is the only plant species that produces significant amounts of these compounds including more than one hundred different cannabinoids in varying quantities. In nature, cannabis plants restrict production of these potentially toxic compounds to the trichomes which are tiny hair-like stems and globes that grow on the surface of the plant. To successfully manipulate cannabinoids, the Companys new technology activates molecular promoters, on/off switches, specifically and only in the plants trichomes where the majority of cannabinoids are produced. These regulatory sequences dynamically enhance or restrict gene expression levels, controlling the expression of genetic information that leads to the production of cannabinoids.

About 22nd Century Group,Inc.22nd Century Group, Inc. (NYSE American: XXII) is a leading plant biotechnology company focused on technologies that alter the level of nicotine in tobacco plants and the level of cannabinoids in hemp/cannabis plants through genetic engineering, gene-editing, and modern plant breeding. 22nd Centurys primary mission in tobacco is to reduce the harm caused by smoking through the Companys proprietary reduced nicotine content tobacco cigarettes containing 95% less nicotine than conventional cigarettes. The Companys primary mission in hemp/cannabis is to develop and commercialize proprietary hemp/cannabis plants with valuable cannabinoid profiles and desirable agronomic traits.

Learn more atxxiicentury.com, on Twitter@_xxiicenturyand onLinkedIn.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking StatementsExcept for historical information, all of the statements, expectations, and assumptions contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements typically contain terms such as anticipate, believe, consider, continue, could, estimate, expect, explore, foresee, goal, guidance, intend, likely, may, plan, potential, predict, preliminary, probable, project, promising, seek, should, will, would, and similar expressions. Actual results may differ materially from those explicit or implicit in forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are set forth in Risk Factors in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on March 11, 2020 and on Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. All information provided in this release is as of the date hereof, and the Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.

Investor Relations & Media Contact:Mei KuoDirector, Communications & Investor Relations22nd Century Group, Inc.(716) 300-1221mkuo@xxiicentury.com

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22nd Century Group Achieves Breakthrough Hemp/Cannabis GMO Technology; Granted New Patent for Controlling Genes Responsible for Production of CBD,...

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Growth Opportunities in Digital, Microbiome-based, and Preventive Healthcare Technologies 2020" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This edition of the Life Science, Health & Wellness Technology Opportunity Engine (TOE) provides insights across recent innovations in digital health, microbiome, and flu vaccines technologies. The TOE also provides insights across latest advancements for chronic pain management and COVID-19 testing.

The TOE will feature disruptive technology advances in the global life sciences industry. The technologies and innovations profiled will encompass developments across genetic engineering, drug discovery and development, biomarkers, tissue engineering, synthetic biology, microbiome, disease management, as well as health and wellness among several other platforms.

The Health & Wellness cluster tracks developments in a myriad of areas including genetic engineering, regenerative medicine, drug discovery and development, nanomedicine, nutrition, cosmetic procedures, pain and disease management and therapies, drug delivery, personalized medicine, and smart healthcare.

Key Topics Covered:

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/v6l8dq

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Growth Opportunities in Digital, Microbiome-based, and Preventive Healthcare Technologies, 2020 Report - Focus on Latest Advancements for Chronic Pain...