22nd Century Group, Inc. (NYSE MKT:XXII)
announced today that the United States Patent and Trademark Office
(USPTO) has issued a Notice of Allowance for technology that decreases
or increases nicotine production and levels in tobacco plants by using
nucleic acids derived from a transcription factor gene identified as NbTF7
– also known as NbARF1. NbTF7 simultaneously regulates the
expression of multiple nicotine biosynthesis genes.
The transcription factor technology is one of several 22nd Century
patent families representing the company’s second-generation technology
for modifying the content of nicotine and other nicotinic alkaloids in
the tobacco plant. 22nd Century’s Vice President of Research and
Development, Dr. Michael Moynihan stated, “We are very pleased that the
USPTO has allowed this patent. Modification of transcription factor
expression provides a means of regulating the entire nicotine pathway.
We believe there will be tremendous commercial opportunities for both
our very low nicotine and our higher nicotine tobacco varieties.”
The allowed claims of Patent Application No. 12/601,752, entitled, NUCLEIC
ACID SEQUENCES ENCODING TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS REGULATING ALKALOID
BIOSYNTHESIS AND THEIR USE IN MODIFYING PLANT METABOLISM, cover
methods of producing tobacco and tobacco cells with altered nicotine
levels. NbTF7 is one of six tobacco transcription factor genes
identified and demonstrated to regulate nicotine biosynthesis and
nicotine content in tobacco plants in International Patent Application
PCT/IB2008/003131, from which United States Patent Application No.
12/601,752 and other related patents and patent applications are derived.
This patent family includes claims for (i) nucleic acids which encode
each of six transcription factor genes that either positively or
negatively regulate multiple nicotine biosynthesis genes, (ii) methods
for producing tobacco plants with altered nicotine levels by
up-regulating or down-regulating expression of the six transcription
factor genes, and (iii) tobacco cells, tobacco plants, and tobacco
products produced by using these methods. The major advantage of 22nd
Century’s transcription factor technology is that multiple nicotine
biosynthesis genes can be down-regulated to produce very low nicotine
(VLN) tobacco or up-regulated to produce high nicotine tobacco by
modifying a single transcription factor gene. This technology may be
implemented, as specified in the claims allowed in U.S. Patent Number
8,624,083, so that no foreign genes to the tobacco plant are present in
the resulting tobacco. Accordingly, such plants are not considered to be
“genetically modified” in the United States and certain other countries.
The Notice of Allowance for regulating transcription factor gene NbTF7
was issued on June 16, 2014 to the National Research Council Canada
(NRC). Dr. Jonathon Page and Andrea T. Todd are the inventors. 22nd
Century funded research and development at NRC thereby becoming NRC’s
exclusive worldwide licensee of this transcription factor technology and
other technologies. 22nd Century is further developing the technology,
including producing novel commercial tobacco plant varieties. Patent
Application No. 12/601,752 will be granted by the USPTO shortly and will
expire in 2028.
In the United States, 22nd Century has a patent portfolio of 17 issued
patents and 13 pending patent applications – mainly related to the key
nicotine biosynthesis genes and transcription factors that regulate the
expression of these genes, and tobacco harm reduction products produced
therefrom. 22nd Century’s technology allows for the production of the
world’s lowest nicotine cigarette, up to 98% less nicotine than that of
“light” cigarettes, and a wide spectrum of higher nicotine tobacco as
well. The resulting tobacco plants are planted, grown, harvested, cured,
processed, and made into tobacco products exactly the same as
traditional tobacco.
About 22nd Century Group, Inc.
22nd Century is a plant biotechnology company whose proprietary
technology allows for the levels of nicotine and other nicotinic
alkaloids (e.g., nornicotine, anatabine and anabasine) in the tobacco
plant to be decreased or increased through genetic engineering and plant
breeding. 22nd Century owns or is the exclusive licensee of 117 issued
patents in 78 countries plus an additional 44 pending patent
applications. Goodrich Tobacco Company, LLC and Hercules
Pharmaceuticals, LLC are wholly-owned subsidiaries of 22nd Century.
Goodrich Tobacco is focused on commercial tobacco products and
potentially less harmful cigarettes. Hercules Pharmaceuticals is focused
on X-22, a prescription smoking cessation aid in development.
For additional information, please visit: www.xxiicentury.com
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This press
release contains forward-looking information, including all statements
that are not statements of historical fact regarding the intent, belief
or current expectations of 22nd Century Group, Inc., its directors or
its officers with respect to the contents of this press release. The
words “may,” “would,” “will,” “expect,” “estimate,” “anticipate,”
“believe,” “intend” and similar expressions and variations thereof are
intended to identify forward-looking statements. We cannot guarantee
future results, levels of activity or performance. You should not place
undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as
of the date that they were made. These cautionary statements should be
considered with any written or oral forward-looking statements that we
may issue in the future. Except as required by applicable law, including
the securities laws of the United States, we do not intend to update any
of the forward-looking statements to conform these statements to reflect
actual results, later events or circumstances, or to reflect the
occurrence of unanticipated events. You should carefully review and
consider the various disclosures made by us in our annual report on Form
10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013, filed on January 30,
2014, including the section entitled “Risk Factors,” and our other
reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission which
attempt to advise interested parties of the risks and factors that may
affect our business, financial condition, results of operation and cash
flows. If one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if
the underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results may vary
materially from those expected or projected.
Copyright Business Wire 2014