Bayer says it has advanced two initiatives with external partners to bring forward genome editing in vegetables.
Bayer and South Korean biotech company G+FLAS have agreed to collaborate on developing genome-edited tomato varieties that are nutritionally enhanced with vitamin D3, according to a news release.
Vitamin D deficiency is a widespread issue globally, particularly in countries where winter sunlight is limited. It affects an estimated billion people worldwide and can lead to a range of health issues, including rickets, the release said.
“Bayer is committed to achieving ‘Health for All, Hunger for None’,” JD Rossouw, head of vegetables research and development at Bayer, said during the May 27-29 World Seed Congress in Rotterdam, Netherlands, according to the release. “As we work toward this mission, we are proud to address a widespread nutrition problem and to support a healthy diet through cutting-edge technology. The collaboration leverages G+FLAS’ genome editing technology and Bayer’s proprietary tomato germplasm.”
Part of the agreement is also the ambition to develop seeds for a broader variety of tomato products using genome editing, according to the release. The technique allows to make changes to a plant’s genome that could also occur in nature or through conventional breeding, but in a more precise and faster way, the company said.
“Modern breeding technologies, such as genome editing, can provide health benefits and resilience to a changing climate. It is an important new technology in a breeder’s toolbox, and we anticipate it being a part of our pipeline moving forward,” Rossouw said.
“Bayer is deeply attuned to what consumers are seeking: Foods that are not only rich in nutrients but also delightful in taste,” Ruth Mathieson, global head of strategic marketing at Bayer Vegetable Seeds, said in the release. “Our commitment is to deliver on these expectations, which, in turn, provides significant benefits throughout the value chain and enhances the competitiveness of our growers. We are keenly aware of the widespread issue of nutritional deficiencies in diets today. Actively working to bridge this nutritional gap is a driving force behind our growth and innovation strategy.”
Bayer says it also has a new licensing agreement with U.S.-based food and agtech startup Pairwise.
Bayer has acquired a license from Pairwise that grants rights to work with and commercialize Pairwise’s genome-edited mustard greens, according to the release. These are a mix of colorful leafy greens with a unique, fresh flavor and higher nutrition compared to lettuce, achieved through genome editing, the company said. They were the first gene-edited food introduced to the North American market, the release said.
“This agreement and its focus on genome-edited produce made a substantial contribution to our open innovation approach. We’re excited to partner with Pairwise on their innovative leafy greens, which deliver a new, great-tasting salad option with high nutrition value,” Rossouw said. “The latest deal creates value beyond just selling a product, as it also comes with rights to use the knowledge, intellectual property, and technology going forward.” The license includes commercialization rights for the varieties developed by Pairwise and rights to develop new varieties.
In addition, Bayer says it has now started another open innovation platform with a focus on genome editing in fruits and vegetables.
Rossouw said Bayer is seeking to partner with academic researchers and companies to develop new fruit and vegetable products that have increased nutritional content, positive environmental impact, or enhanced consumer appeal through the use of genome editing and new breeding techniques.
