CLARENCE, N.Y - Monday, September 9th 2013 [ME NewsWire]
(BUSINESS
WIRE)-- 22nd Century Group, Inc. (OTCQB: XXII) announced today that the
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a Notice
of Allowance for tobacco plants with altered nicotine content developed
by using nucleic acids derived from a transcription factor gene
identified as NbTF7 – also known as NbARF1. NbTF7 simultaneously
regulates the expression of multiple nicotine biosynthesis genes.
The
allowed claims of Patent Application No. 13/464,212, entitled, NUCLEIC
ACID SEQUENCES ENCODING TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS REGULATING ALKALOID
BIOSYNTHESIS AND THEIR USE IN MODIFYING PLANT METABOLISM, cover
producing tobacco plants with altered nicotine levels by mutagenesis of
the transcription factor gene NbTF7 that negatively regulates nicotine
biosynthesis. NbTF7 is one of six tobacco transcription factor genes
identified and demonstrated to regulate nicotine biosynthesis and
nicotine content in tobacco plants in International Patent Application
PCT/IB2008/003131, from which United States Patent Application No.
13/464,212 and other related patent applications are derived.
These
patent applications include claims for (i) nucleic acids which encode
each of six transcription factor genes that either positively or
negatively regulate multiple nicotine biosynthesis genes, (ii) methods
for producing tobacco plants with altered nicotine levels by
up-regulating or down-regulating expression of the six transcription
factor genes, and (iii) tobacco cells, tobacco plants, and tobacco
products produced by using these methods. The major advantage of 22nd
Century’s transcription factor technology is that multiple nicotine
biosynthesis genes can be down-regulated to produce very low nicotine
tobacco or up-regulated to produce high nicotine tobacco by modifying a
single transcription factor gene.
This technology can be
implemented, as specified in the claims allowed in Patent Application
No. 13/464,212, so that no foreign genes to the tobacco plant are
present in the resulting tobacco. Such plants are not considered to be
genetically modified in the United States and certain other countries.
The
Notice of Allowance for regulating transcription factor gene NbTF7 was
issued on September 6, 2013 to the National Research Council Canada
(NRC). Dr. Jonathon Page and Andrea T. Todd of the NRC Plant
Biotechnology Institute are the inventors. 22nd Century funded research
and development at NRC thereby becoming NRC’s exclusive worldwide
licensee of this transcription factor technology and other technologies.
22nd Century is further developing the technology, including producing
novel commercial tobacco plant varieties. The patent will be issued by
the USPTO within the next few months and will expire in 2028.
The
transcription factor technology is one of several 22nd Century patent
families representing the company’s second-generation gene technology
for modifying the content of nicotine and other nicotinic alkaloids in
the tobacco plant. 22nd Century’s Vice President of Research and
Development, Dr. Michael Moynihan stated, “We are very pleased that the
USPTO has allowed this patent. Our second-generation technology has
significant advantages over our first generation technology.”
In
the United States, 22nd Century has a patent portfolio of 16 issued
patents and 8 pending patent applications – mainly related to the key
nicotine biosynthesis genes and transcription factors that regulate the
expression of these genes, and tobacco harm reduction products produced
therefrom. 22nd Century’s technology allows for the production of the
world’s lowest nicotine cigarette, up to 98% less nicotine than that of
“light” cigarettes, and world’s lowest tar-to-nicotine ratio cigarette.
About 22nd Century Group, Inc.
22nd
Century is a plant biotechnology company whose proprietary technology
allows for the levels of nicotine and other nicotinic alkaloids (e.g.,
nornicotine, anatabine and anabasine) in the tobacco plant to be
decreased or increased through genetic engineering or plant breeding.
22nd Century owns or is the exclusive licensee of 112 issued patents in
78 countries plus an additional 38 pending patent applications. Goodrich
Tobacco Company, LLC and Hercules Pharmaceuticals, LLC are wholly-owned
subsidiaries of 22nd Century. Goodrich Tobacco is focused on commercial
tobacco products and tobacco harm reduction products in development.
Hercules Pharmaceuticals is focused on X-22, a prescription smoking
cessation aid in development.
For additional information, please visit: www.xxiicentury.com
Contacts
Redington, Inc.
Tom Redington, 203-222-7399
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