NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Dow AgroSciences announced today that it has signed a deal with the Institute of Crop Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (ICS-CAAS) to use its proprietary rice genome-editing technology to develop new products for the Chinese market.
The technology, called Exzact Precision, is based on Sangamo BioSciences engineered zinc finger DNA-binding proteins, which bind to specific functional domains to create transcription factors capable of activating or repressing target genes. Dow AgroSciences has an exclusive license to the technology for plant applications.
According to Dow AgroSciences, it has granted ICS-CAAS a royalty-free, non-transferrable license to the Exzact technology for modifying rice in China. As part of the arrangement, the collaborators will work together to develop the technology into a rice genome-editing platform.
Additional terms were not disclosed.
"We have a long-term commitment in China as a strategic partner for agricultural sustainability and best practices," Tim Hassinger, president and CEO of Dow AgroSciences, said in a statement. "The Exzact Precision technology collaboration with CAAS is a strong example of this commitment, which will significantly enable Chinese scientists to improve rice research and product development, thus benefiting China’s long-term food security."