The biotechnology company Calyxt has licensed a new method to help increase plant gene editing efficiency from the University of Minnesota, which the company will use to accelerate the production of gene edited crop varieties. The method has the potential to reduce the time needed to edit plants from approximately one year to several months.

Calyxt expects to launch at least six product candidates from now through 2024, including a hemp product candidate in 2020, an alfalfa product in 2021 through its collaboration with S&W Seed Company (see AgbioNews July 20, 2018), a high fibre wheat product candidate as early as 2022, and four additional product candidates either via the company’s integrated business model or in collaboration with third parties.