Licensing deal
US biotech Genencor International Inc, a subsidiary of Danisco, has completed a commercial licence agreement with German spin-out Gene Bridges to use its Red/ET Recombineering technology.
Gene Bridges, a spin-out from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, has developed a technology which modifies E. coli–compatible DNA target molecules via a homologous recombination process. The technology allows every type of DNA modification possible in a short time frame, irrespective of DNA size and presence of restriction sites, says the company.
The company, co-directed by A. Francis Stewart, acquired the rights to exclusive commercialisation of Red/ET Recombineering in 2000. The European Molecular Biology Laboratory, where Stewart developed the technology, remains a major shareholder.
The licence agreement will allow Genencor to genetically engineer recombinant micro-organisms for industrial applications. Gary Stevens, CEO of Gene Bridges GmbH, said: “We are very pleased to add Danisco to the list of major industrial biotechnology companies using Red/ET. Recombineering is the technology of choice in DNA engineering and is used worldwide in industry and academia.”
Gene Bridges provides Red/ET technology to academia and industries worldwide through licensing, service provision and commercialisation of kits.
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