Origin Agritech Ltd. announced the establishment of the "Origin Marker Biological Breeding Service Consortium" in partnership with China Golden Marker Biotechnology Co. Ltd. This consortium is designed to license Origin's GMO insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant (IR/HT) traits to a wider range of industry players and to accelerate the application of Origin's gene editing technology in breeding programs. The signing ceremony for this new initiative took place at the 31st China Seed Industry Conference in Beijing. The consortium represents a significant step in advancing the commercialization of Origin's cutting-edge GMO and gene editing technologies.
Following the Company's receipt of a GMO safety certificate for its transgenic maize, BBL2-2, in May 2024, this consortium will play a key role in promoting the licensing of these GMO traits to seed companies and research institutes., providing a wider opportunity for broader adoption by more industrial players across China's key agricultural regions. In addition, Origin Agritech's breakthrough gene editing technology, including the world's first efficient genetic transformation system for maize induction line Hi3, is central to the consortium's mission. This gene editing system rapidly improves key traits such as drought resistance, plant architecture, and disease resilience in maize, reducing the traditional breeding timeline from 3-4 years to just one.
By integrating this technology into Origin's breeding programs and its partners, the consortium seeks to accelerate product development while expanding the royalty opportunities for new, high-performing maize varieties. China Golden Marker has invested C&D teams in creating more diverse and resilient corn varieties. The consortium has established cooperative relationships with dozens of breeding companies across China and is improving over 100 corn varieties.
These varieties are planted in key corn-producing regions, including Donghua North, Huang Huai Hai, Northwest, and Southwest China.
