Yield10 Bioscience Files Request for Regulatory Status Review under USDA-APHIS’s SECURE Rule Covering Elite Camelina Designed to Produce the EPA Component of Omega-3 Oil
Camelina containing the omega-3 EPA trait
-Omega-3 (EPA) Camelina planted at acre-scale in US nearing maturity
-Development program moving forward at a solid pace toward commercialization
WOBURN, Mass., July 26, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Yield10 Bioscience, Inc. (Nasdaq:YTEN) (“Yield10” or the “Company”), an agricultural bioscience company, today announced that the Company recently filed a request for a Regulatory Status Review (RSR) with USDA-APHIS Biotechnology Regulatory Services (BRS) under the SECURE Rule for proprietary elite Camelina varieties containing genes enabling the plant to produce the eicosapentaenoic acid (“EPA”) component of omega-3 oil. In spring 2023, Yield10 planted omega-3 (EPA) Camelina at acre-scale in the U.S. to begin the ramp up of seed inventory for future planting as well as to produce oil for use in business development activities.
“We believe that Camelina represents an ideal platform for the sustainable, land-based production of high value, omega-3 oils targeting the significant market opportunity in animal feed and human nutrition,” said Kristi Snell, Ph.D., Chief Science Officer of Yield10 Bioscience. “This RSR filing is a key milestone for our team as we execute our strategy to develop Camelina for large-scale production of omega-3 oils. As we await the response to our RSR filing, we remain focused on conducting seed scale-up activities to generate seed inventory for regulatory activities and future grower contracts.”
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/14711a8c-b94b-441d-9b99-be4bd004e7a5
Camelina containing the omega-3 EPA trait growing at acre-scale in the U.S. in spring 2023.
In late 2020, Yield10 signed a collaboration agreement with UK-based Rothamsted Research to support the development of omega-3 oils in Camelina. In addition, Yield10 signed an exclusive option to sign a global, exclusive or non-exclusive license agreement to the Rothamsted omega-3 technology. Yield10 has prioritized the deployment of the EPA component of omega-3 in Camelina as the initial oil profile for commercialization. Yield10 also plans to produce the EPA component of omega-3 co-deployed in Camelina with its advanced technology for a robust trait package including herbicide tolerance. The Company plans to follow this with the development of advanced EPA plus docosahexaenoic acid (“DHA”) producing Camelina varieties.
About the EPA component of Omega-3 oil
EPA is a polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) that is primarily supplied in the human diet by the consumption of oily fish such as salmon, anchovies, and mackerel. Fish obtain EPA through the consumption of algae. Clinical studies have shown that EPA is beneficial to humans as it lowers triglycerides and reduces low-density lipoprotein (LDL cholesterol) in the blood with beneficial cardiovascular effects. Using Camelina to produce EPA may represent a way to produce this beneficial ingredient without relying on the harvest of ocean fish. Several commercial products containing EPA fatty acids are available on the market including pharmaceuticals, nutritional supplements, and animal feed.
About the SECURE Rule
The SECURE Rule was published on May 18, 2020 and represents the first comprehensive revision of APHIS’ biotechnology regulations since 1987. The revisions enable APHIS to regulate organisms developed using genetic engineering for plant pest risk with greater precision and reduces the regulatory burden for developers of organisms that are unlikely to pose plant pest risks. Once a specific plant developed through genetic engineering is found not to require regulation, new varieties of the plant containing the same genetic modification would similarly not be regulated. Camelina plants containing omega-3 traits are subject to regulation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
About Yield10 Bioscience
Yield10 Bioscience, Inc. is an agricultural bioscience company that is using its differentiated trait gene discovery platform, the “Trait Factory”, to develop improved Camelina varieties for the production of proprietary seed products, and to discover high value genetic traits for the agriculture and food industries. Our goals are to efficiently establish a high value seed products business based on developing superior varieties of Camelina for the production of feedstock oils, PHA bioplastics and omega-3 (EPA, DHA) oils, and to license our yield traits to major seed companies for commercialization in major row crops, including corn, soybean and canola. Yield10 is headquartered in Woburn, MA and has a Canadian subsidiary, Yield10 Oilseeds Inc., located in Saskatoon, Canada.
For more information about the company, please visit www.yield10bio.com, or follow the Company on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
(YTEN-G)
Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The forward-looking statements in this release do not constitute guarantees of future performance. Investors are cautioned that statements in this press release which are not strictly historical, including, without limitation, the potential for Camelina to become an ideal platform for the sustainable, land-based production of high value omega-3 oil, the outcome of Yield10’s RSR filing, and future plans for the development of the EPA component of omega-3 in Camelina, constitute forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, including the risks and uncertainties detailed in Yield10 Bioscience’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Yield10 assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information contained in this press release or with respect to the matters described herein.
Contacts:
Yield10 Bioscience:
Lynne H. Brum, (617) 682-4693, LBrum@yield10bio.com
Investor Relations:
Bret Shapiro, (561) 479-8566, brets@coreir.com
Managing Director, CORE IR
Media Inquiries:
Eric Fischgrund, eric@fischtankpr.com
FischTank PR
