According to 2017 Global Seed Market Database, the global crop seed market size is anticipated to reach 118.5 billion dollars by 2022, with an average of 11.4% annual growth.
G+FLAS, a CRISPR/Cas genome editing company in South Korea, announced that they licensed two patents regarding Non-GMO ways of plant genome engineering. The licensed DNA-free CRISPR genome editing technologies enable the development of genome-edited crops without using any foreign DNA, previously reported as the first success in Nature Biotechnology by Dr Choe’s group in 2015.
Before the emergence of CRISPR genome editing technology, most genetically-engineered crops were generated by recombinant DNA-mediated GMO technology that heavily depends on a time-consuming process to segregate out the inserted DNA by genetic recombination. Conventional GMO technologies would take 10 years and cost approximately $100 million to obtain the deregulated status.
The founder and CEO of G+FLAS Life Sciences, Sunghwa Choe, Ph.D., said “Licensing the DNA-free genome editing technology should create synergy with our CRISPR PLUSTM gene editing platform. With the two cutting-edge technologies, G+FLAS will expedite company’s trait development programs to commercialize higher-yield and more nutritious crop plants in relatively shorter time.”
According to 2017 Global Seed Market Database, the global crop seed market size is anticipated to reach 118.5 billion dollars by 2022, with an average of 11.4% annual growth. Consumer needs on safer and nutrient-rich foods are also expected to increase. G+FLAS Life Sciences is currently developing vegetable seeds with improved nutrients, such as Vitamin D-containing tomato and lettuce. Furthermore, G+FLAS will expand pipelines to plant-made pharmaceuticals including antibody drugs, recombinant vaccines, and dietary supplements using the glyco-engineered plants.