NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Intrexon today announced a tender offer of an undisclosed amount for the remaining 49 percent stake of Exemplar Genetics.
Intrexon received a partial stake in Exemplar when it acquired cattle genetics firm Trans Ova Genetics for $110 million in July 2014. Trans Ova owned an approximately 51 percent stake in Exemplar, according to a Form 10-Q filed by Intrexon in November with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
Exemplar has created animal models of human disease in transgenic swine for research and development uses. Diseases being researched with the models include heart disease, cancer, cystic fibrosis, cardiac arrhythmia, and neuromuscular and neurodegenerative disorders.
"Disease models enabled by Exemplar's capabilities have the potential to facilitate [the] development of therapeutic solutions, as well as more accurately assess their effectiveness in addressing the underlying causes of rare genetic diseases," Mark Pykett, CEO of Agilis Biotherapeutics, a partner of Intrexon, said in a statement.
Exemplar's research tools will be offered exclusively to Intrexon's channel partners, Intrexon Senior VP Gregory Frost said in a statement.