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Hey, OcHo...interesting article..found this about the company AmSilk they mentioned in the article....any one speak german?
http://www.amsilk.com/en/about-us/amsilk-in-the-news.html
Would love to know what the german television program was saying about their product(s)...question is are they competition or clients? I think the later...back the truck up to KBLB and buy all the spidersilk you want!
RU
Whether or not it's KBLB is a "?". There is no question SIAL is involved.
Quote:
Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Volume 40, Issue 10, October 2010, Pages 759-765
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
doi:10.1016/j.ibmb.2010.07.012 | How to Cite or Link Using DOI
Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved. Cited By in Scopus (4)
Permissions & Reprints
Targeted mutagenesis in the silkworm Bombyx mori using zinc finger nuclease mRNA injection Purchase
$ 39.95
References and further reading may be available for this article. To view references and further reading you must purchase this article.
Yoko Takasua, b, Isao Kobayashib, Kelly Beumerc, Keiro Uchinob, Hideki Sezutsub, Suresh Sajwana, Dana Carrollc, Toshiki Tamurab and Michal Zuroveca, ,
a Biology Centre, Academy of Sciences and the Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of South Bohemia, Branisovska 31, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
b National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan
c Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
Received 7 May 2010; revised 27 July 2010; accepted 28 July 2010. Available online 6 August 2010.
Clearing Confusion, maybe...
Question:
"I do not know if the agreement we have is exclusive. Can someone else make an agreement with SIAL"
Answer:
The agreement with SIAL gives KBLB the exclusive rights to the commercial use of all products arising from the 200 spider genes KBLB provided to them. Source, KBLB 10k dated April 15th, 2011
SIAL retains all rights to sell, FOR PURPOSES OF RESEARCH ONLY, products and discoveries arising from its agreement with KBLB (including, but not limited to ZFN's, reagents, materials, proteins, silk samples,...etc) relative only to the 200 spider genes KBLB provided them. KBLB retains EXCLUSIVELY all commercial rights on all products developed utilizing any part(s) of discoveries arising from the use of any of the 200 spider genes it provided to SIAL.
Example:
As it relates to "RESEARCH", and only research, SIAL can sell any of the lab products it develops in conjunction to the announced agreement between KBLB/SIAL for the 200 Spider Gene ZFN's and covered under the terms of the agreement, to anyone they want to.
If you are a company that wants to see if by incorporating 100% banana-spider drag-line silk into your pizza box to discover by doing so if the the pie stays hotter longer, SAIL says simply "here's your ZFNs". Go ahead and knock in/knock out/ any trait(s) you want to see into your silk worms so you can raise your own worms and harvest your own silk to do as much research as you want in your search to discover how to use the harvested banana-silk in the manufacture of the strongest/warmest/cleanest pizza box in the world.
If your research uncovers that you can keep a pie warmer longer, and you think that if you mass produce your new spider-silk pizza box that your gonna have pizza delivery companies worldwide flocking to buy your invention, well great for you. But, before you can manufacture the boxes you are gonna have to license the use of the banna spider silk (the main component used the production of the SpiderBoxes that makes them the best boxes in the world) from KBLB before you can go into commercial production of the spider pizza box.
Replace pizza box with (blank)...and banana-spider silk with (any of the 200 spider genes covered in the KBLB/SIAL agreement + likely combinations of them) and incorporate an infinite number of commercial applications and you understand how KBLB could use their agreement with SIAL to prosper. FWIW
RU
OT - But someone here made a reference to SGMO's work on finding a "functional cure" for HIV the other day...
Interesting article regarding the science behind SGMO's approach in finding a way to reproduce a functional cure in a patient in Berlin. Four years after a bone marrow transplant, the patient has no measurable level of HIV in his body.
Enjoy....
http://www.thebody.com/content/art53624.html?getPage=1
The science behind what SIAL/KBLB are doing together holds significant promise.
RU
Yes, your post is well thought out and I agree with your position. Material news will come in the form(s): a)PRs b)major publications, peer reviewed c) major textile conferences.
I do not think a CC is the form to announce material company news.
RU
Rayo, you are mixed up. Gen1, nothing to do with ZFN's, except maybe helped KBLB understand that ZFNs not piggybac's were the way forward. Piggybacs, 20 GEN1 targets, had some success in producing a better silk, spider-worm blended product, but not pure, 100% spider silk. Value remains in the piggybac developed GEN1 product for commercial applications...just not the endgame 100% super-spider silk they were after. Now comes the deal with ZFN's and the deal with SIAL, GEN2+....doubting that ZFN's work is unabashedly self-defeating. As ZincF has pointed out here before, and I support his position in the matter (as well it is supported by the FATHER OF ZFN's, Dr. Dana Carroll as found by King) the may not hit a home run on the first try, but the possibility that 100% spider silk will be produced, sooner rather than later just went up by a factor of four in my mind. Think about it for a second... in October of 2010, Dr. Carroll shoots this video, and knows already that ZFN's are easy to use in silkworms, this means work in the lab had been done, and there was evidence available to him that it was "easy" to manipulate the genome of the silkworm. In Feb 2011, SIAL applies for a patent covering mutagenesis using ZFN's in silkworms. On April 12th, 2011 KBLB/SIAL announce they have entered into an agreement..and finally..On April 15th, 2011 KBLB releases their amended 10k which clearly shows they retain all commercial rights to products and applications arising from the the use of the SIAL-ZFN induced GM silkworm.
What part of this is IF to you?
GLTY
RU
I've gotta buck ($1) that says he was reffering to the collaboration with KBLB....Great!!! find. I'd seen that video when it first came out but didn't remember the reference to the silkworm work they were doing. It is obvious to me when this guy, considered by many to be one of the most important figures in the use of ZFN's inducing targeted muta-genesis, says its easy to induce the changes you are after in silkworms that a) much work had already been done, and they knew b) that given the timelines its highly likely the work he was referring to was done in conjunction with KBLB researchers/collaborators (otherwise, why patent the process and turn the rights over to some other company?) c) that those doubting the technology is going to be difficult to work with should be very wary.
Great, great find.
RU
RU
I hadn't noticed the connection, but your logic makes some sense. I revise my stance accordingly. I now put forward, I do not think the two are connected...but, given your strong belief in a connection to the april 12th SIAL news, i'm only 98.9% sure the terms of SIAL are not known at this time. I think the "consultant" in the April 8th announcement is working to develop commercially viable quantities of the gen1 spidersilk.
Either way, both are going to be good for KBLB.
RU
Ocho, some of the most knowledgeable posters I've ever encountered are hanging out on the IV board. I'f you're thinking about SGMO as an investment, highly recommend reading a few months back posts on their board. They have a few posters that know a whole lot about the science and the business of ZFN's. As i also mentioned to someone yesterday, the CELG board has a number of extremely knowledgeable posters/investors who have also gone long SGMO and are comfortable that SGMO is making a difference in changing the way researchers and big pharma studies, modifies and uses genetics to produce game changing therapeutics.
RU
AS of 4-12-11 Kim owned or controlled just over 56% of the company stock.
RU
I'm 99.9% sure that's for just the Gen1 collaborative product(s)...we..at least I have not seen anything related to the actual costs regarding 5yr option SIAL has granted to KBLB for the ZFN modified worms and products. It has not been announced yet ttbomk...the date on the announcement you provided, April 8th, 2011, is prior to the announcement that KBLB and SIAL had even entered into an agreement. The announcement of an agreement between the universities et al has to be for the Gen 1, piggyback induced, spidersilk silk on the 20 products they co-developed.
But at least i know where Bio and You were coming from. I thought I was loosing it..lol
RU
A ton of early investors in CELG made a bunch of money on it when it's lead drug in cancer was approved by the FDA...and put some of their winnings into SGMO science. No direct ties, just a bunch of folks that invested in and follow SGMO started out in CELG. They all know the power of gene's as CELG's lead money making therapeutic works at the cellular level...a very smart crowd. Know the science of it all, as well as ZincF or better..and Zinc is pretty smart from what i've seen of his posts here, and agree with 99% of what he's said. Of those that came over from CLEG to SGMO looking for there next blockbuster stock to invest in, they would have seen the same thing I did on April 12th and at least took a look at KBLB. I know a couple that even dropped a couple bucks in KBLB right after the announcement...every little bit helps.
RU
AHHHHH, Gen 1 vs ZFN's....got it!! THANKs OCHO!!!
I was only focused on the SIAL thing...
RU
Thanks Ocho, all I've got is their 10k saying they have the rights to all commercial uses, specifically including biomedical uses of the products produced using CompoZr.
BioMed said the same thing earlier, and I called him on it...unless there's some different meaning "healthcare vs. biomedical" markets that i'm not aware of....here's what the April 15th, 2011, Kraig Biocraft 10k says about the subject...which was three posted three days after the SIAL announcement on April 12th, 2011, and it says plainly....
"....Sigma has granted Kraig an option for a commercial license to use the technology in the textile, technical textile and biomedical markets."
Don't believe everything you see.....ddd
RU
Where is this coming from? Second time today someone has posted that KBLB has restrictions on commercial uses of the its products in health care? Not True according to the company's 10k.
Did miss the memo? Thanks in advance for posting the reference supporting your claim.
RU
Probably SGMO and CELG investors putting/moving money here. They all know the science is true-blue. That's how i ended up here for certain.
GLTA
RU
I'd like to start a running list, will the board help assemble it?
The questions about KBLB that need answers to are....what?
Here are my Basic Assumptions:
Basic Assumption #1: ZFN's will produce various types of GM silks using the gene's from spider(s).
Basic Assumption #2: KBLB's first round of testing will result in GM silks that will have marketable advantages over other fibers (green or not; ie wild silk to kevlar)
Basic Assuption #3: The peer reviewed positive tensile, elasticity, and impact test results of several GM silks will be available by YE2011.
Now what? If you are Kim, what are you doing today? tomorrow? next week?
Based on the assumptions above, what does KBLB need, that it doesn't have currently, to turn this primarily research company into a profitable textile supply chain business venture?
I assume they don't have adequate lab space because Kim alluded to needing to address this in some way very soon in the last 10k.
These are my thoughts on the lab issue, which maybe KBLB needs. Since my daytime background is commercial/industrial real estate, (20yrs) obviously I'm gonna think they will need a lab to work from. The question is do they share a lab, as they have in the past at UoW and ND? Does it need adequate laboratories of its own? If "yes", the we need to be looking at what management does to resolve the issue.
What do we really need, how much will it cost, what is the projected revenue, how long will it take to realize a sustainable revenue stream? or make a profit on the products tested and available for commercialization?
What can KBLB afford today?
It has at least 200 gene's to test, in various infinite numbers of combo's so it needs....
A lab set up to insert the ZFN's into the eggs.
Lab workers to prosecute and oversee the proper insertion of spider genes.
A lab capable of breeding and housing the worms (transgenic or not)
Lab workers to oversee the breeding and collection of silks.
A lab capable of testing the infinite number of silks.
A lab with administration offices to house the company's management, administration and business development teams.
FF&E to prosecute, test and sell commercial goods.
A lab serious enough to allow for the breeding of custom worms, spec'd by third parties.
Seems like everything I come up with comes down to the "lab". That's why i'm throwing this out to the board. What should we all be looking for in terms of the "next steps" and how well the company is organized to take advantage of this opportunity.
What other things is, should or could KBLB management be thinking about in its first steps toward commercialization?
Maybe that's what the cc's about. Kim's found a lab that will work, here's how i'm gonna get it, here's what the funding burden is acquisition through staffing for the next three years....
My hope with putting this up is to spur discussion on topics other than the science (which i think is solid)...per Edward, lol
RU
Great post...I especially liked this quote from the article you posted....
Further Applications
And there could be further uses. Spider silk has a number of properties that are not found in manmade materials. Experts believe that if we can learn how to match these properties a range of new materials with superior mechanical properties could be developed for an enormous range of applications.
RU
I think anyone with a dog in the hunt on this board should be learning everything they can about the company behind the technology KBLB shareholders expect to take them to the moon.
SGMO, like SIAL (hopefully like KBLB?) runs a hybrid-business model. This means, SGMO has determined its core business is the development of human therapeutics. AS such, SGMO has retained ALL RIGHTS related to the commercialization of products developed using their technology in humans. It has licensed out the use of their technology to a multitude of companies, the largest of which are DowAgro, for use in plants and SIAL for pretty much everything else, including research for human therapeutics conducted by third party researchers and biopharms.
Everything developed out of the use of their IP by anyone, returns something of value back to SGMO.
If, like ZincF says, KBLB has the lock on the over 200 spider gene's (I think his reasoning is correct on the matter) then some of them will be good for B-proof Vests, some for electronics?, some for medical applications, some for armor on buildings/cars...etc.
I expect the announcement in the upcoming CC is going to be "we're open for business". Maybe something like, "we are now poised to emerge from our past as a company primarily focused on R&D. While this phase in our company's growth has been necessary it is time to turn the page. As you know, we recently completed a deal with SIAL which we expect will greatly accelerate the time it will take us to develop commercially viable quantities of the strongest and most elegant fiber(s) known to mankind. We are working closely with SIAL and expect to have product to test by q311 and announcements of those results by q411.
As such, we are now proud to mark this day as the day we begin building a business out of what we have accomplished in the lab... we have hired this great COO, with this great background in running startups like ourselves..We have been collaborating with companies interested in our work with Gen1 fibers and we expect to have a partnership with one of these companies in the near future. Any deal we cut will be with the long term shareholder value in mind. etc, etc.
This is going to be an interesting storyline to follow over the next 12mos.
GLTA
RU
Under Promise, OVER Deliver.
When I find management of a public company that understands this concept, I'm much more likely to invest my money with him/her.
NO, they have no such agreement in place with SIAL. According to the 10k, KBLB holds ALL COMMERCIAL RIGHTS to the products developed using SIAL's CompoZr ZFN technology, through an option granted to KBLB. KBLB has up to five years in which to exercise this commercial rights option. SIAL may use, sell and license the KBLB products to third parties for research purposes only. Therefore, any attempt, by the third party researcher, or its assigns to commercialize products developed from their research and obtained using the KBLB gene lines can do so only with the prior written consent of KBLB.
From the 4-15-11, KBLB 10k:
Sigma has granted Kraig an option for a commercial license to use the technology in the textile, technical textile and biomedical markets
RU
Never thought of it before, wonder how big the market is for nylon micro surgical thread.?
RU
Agree completely. SGMO most likely will not call out the name of KBLB directly in their presentations (prior agreement with SIAL, their partner, not to discuss SIAL developments directly)...but you can bet off the set, and in the backrooms and around the dinner tables, the guys from SGMO will be discussing the developments between KBLB/SIAL and how it is further proof that their hybrid business model is going to one day pay off big in future revenues from multiple applications licensed to numerous companies using their ZFN/ZFP technology for gene modification.
RU
This is the most interesting thing about KBLB's work with SIAL. KBLB does not have to do anything to make money. They could select the "core" business they intend to address for the shareholder, and still, through SIAL generate additional revenues when third party researchers buy and use KBLB's gene mods to test for use in their companies products...If KBLB thinks they are best suited to keep the biomedical properties developed for use in their own human therapeutic applications then great. They can focus on development of micro-sugical sutures, while licensing out their other developments to chip developers, DOD contractors, etc...
Very interesting, maybe we hear more about this in the CC.
RU
Zinc, I appreciate your insights into the patent app posted by Bio. I agree with your interpretations. You are correct regarding the lab space at SAGE Labs. I posted a email response from Joseph Bedell, Director of New Ventures, Commercial Animal Technologies Group, in which he stated their labs were not currently set up to handle worms...essentially.
I also think of any of the topics that could be open for further discussion on a CC, one about lab space, renewal of agreements with one or both of the Universities and the the like is most likely.
I disagree that there is any chance at all that "An announcement of a deal/partnersip for the monster silk could well be part of the upcoming CC". This will not occur without a PR to-the-effect in advance of the CC. It is a material development of the Gen1 product life, and must be distributed in a PR. I also do not think disclosure of step by step lab procedure regarding how they are using ZFNs will ever be disclosed. Beyond what has already been announced.."we are using ZFN's to do the heavy lifting in the lab and expect results shortly, stay tuned all"...a blow by blow of the lab process is not news a shareholder can expect.
Real news, material news, "we have tested the ZFN modified worm silk and its all spider" or "very spidery" will come in the form of a PR or a presentation at a technical fibers convention somewhere or a peer reviewed magazine, etc. It may even (may have to, may need to) come from SIAL?
As for timing, I think inside 6-8mos, KBLBers have material news.
We mostly agree. Thanks for your points of view. I'll be reading all of them going forward.
RU
Pig, THIS IS THE FIRST of its kind for transgenic animals developed using ZFN's specifically for use in a commercial application. All other transgenic animals produced by SIAL/SGMO have been for use in modeling humans for pre-clinical testing of drugs used in human therapeutics. From the IR release 4-12-11:
Dr. Joseph Bedell, Director of Sigma'sCommercial Animal Technology Group. "Spider silk production is just the first example of a commercial animal application for this exciting technology."
Read more: http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/company-news-story.aspx?storyid=201104120605MRKTWIREUSPR____0743200#ixzz1LJfBxX6k
"SOME PEOPLE HAVE SUCH A GOOD HEAD FOR THE SCIENCE OF IT BUT NOT FOR BEING ABLE TO FORECAST PRICES."
In the near term, the science of it WILL dictate the sustainability of the share price and will allow investors to forecast with better certainty the future share price. Science will not be the only indicator of share price longer term. Longer term pricing will depend largely on KBLB managements' ability to leverage the science into delivery of commercially viable products. This "ability" will ultimately win out and have the most impact on the sustainability of or predictability of share price.
Watch for advances in both for best results.
FWIW
RU
I liked something ZF said the other day. He was talking about the various genes and/traits that they regulate which could include genes effecting the worms behaviors, productivity, physiology and/or diet...or it made me think about it...any way... The last one of those struck me as interesting. I have no idea if Mulberry Leaves are plentiful here in the US or not(not many i recall down south) but if you had a worm expressing a trait that makes them like some dietary source other than mulberry leaves Zinc Fingers can up-regulate that trait, and maybe you could produce a herd of worms that love the taste of maple instead...maple flavored spider-silk. Extra sticky maybe for glue?!! lol
Think i'm with spiderpiller, would like to see production here in the US...but may be much easier just to license production to others already in the business.?
GL
RU
A good reason to echo you sentiments re: due diligence;
...again from SGMO's 10k......just goes to show, as easy as it is for us to assume we know what is going to happen re patents, we do not always know.
Patent law is very complex, here's a good example of that tenet:
The patent positions of pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms, including our patent position, are uncertain and involve complex legal and factual questions for which important legal tenets are largely unresolved. Patent applications may not result in the issuance of patents and the coverage claimed in a patent application may be significantly reduced before a patent is issued. Although we have filed for patents on some aspects of our technology, we cannot provide assurances that patents will be issued as a result of these pending applications or that any patent that has been or may be issued will be upheld. The laws of some foreign countries may not protect our proprietary rights to the same extent as do the laws of the United States. One of our foreign patents, which forms the basis for five European Regional Phase patents, has been revoked as a result of an opposition by a third party. Our licensor, The Johns Hopkins University, appealed the revocation. In April 2007, the European Technical Board of Appeal released its decision dismissing the appeal. As of January 13, 2011, the reexamination of US patent number US6265196, licensed to Sangamo from The Johns Hopkins University, was terminated by the USPTO with the publication of a notice of intent to issue a Reexamination Certificate. In addition, in 2008 US5792640, also licensed from Johns Hopkins University, completed a first re-examination process and a re-exam certificate was issued on September 9, 2008. A second re-exam proceeding ordered on November 4, 2008 was recently completed and a Reexamination Certificate was issued on January 5, 2011. These reexamination procedures have narrowed the scope of claims provided under the original patent issued. Accordingly, while we have preserved specific protection afforded under the original patent relating to our engineered ZFN technology, we do not have a valid claim over the full scope of the patent as originally issued.
In the future, third parties may assert patent, copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property rights to technologies that are important to our business. Any claims asserting that our products infringe or may infringe proprietary rights of third parties, if determined adversely to us, could significantly harm our business. See “ Risk Factors—Because it is difficult and costly to protect our proprietary rights, and third parties have filed patent applications that are similar to ours, we cannot ensure the proprietary protection of our technologies and products. ”
Exactly correct...and if you do it using ZF's then, you own the rights to what you did to the organism at the DNA level. It's yours barring someone taking legal action and proving your methods/results are infringing on their methods/results.
RU
More on why and how: Patents for SGMO/KBLB/SIAL
We have been advised that certain aspects of our technology can give us and our collaborators independence from third party patent claims to gene sequences. In general, under United States patent law, a patent may be obtained for any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter. An underlying theme of United States patent law, as related to biotechnology, is that the sequence of a gene, as it exists in the chromosome, is not new, even when newly discovered, unless it is isolated or modified from its normal chromosomal context. As a result, for over a decade, patent courts have held that a DNA sequence must be purified, isolated or modified to be patentable. Accordingly, U.S. patent claims to DNA sequences can cover only isolated, purified or modified nucleic acid sequences (e.g., a purified DNA fragment or a DNA sequence inserted into a vector). We have been advised that U.S. patent claims to DNA sequences do not, and cannot, cover gene sequences as they exist in their natural chromosomal environment, and international patent law is even more stringent than U.S. patent law in this regard. Most current methods for over-expression of a gene or protein involve the introduction into a cell of a vector containing a DNA encoding the protein to be over-expressed. Since such a vector contains isolated sequences which encode the protein, it would be covered by any patent claims to those sequences. In contrast, our methods for over-expression utilize ZFP TFs that target endogenous genes as they exist in the chromosome. As a result, our methods do not require the use of isolated DNA sequences encoding the protein to be over-expressed and, our counsel has advised us, do not infringe patent claims to such sequences. Notwithstanding this advice, we realize that others could take a contrary position that could result in litigation. While we believe that we would prevail in any such litigation, the uncertainties involved in litigation generally make it impossible to provide assurance as to the ultimate outcome of such matters
Ive been following only since the SIAL news. How did it trade before? In the charts i saw, it looks like it was trading in a lower area a few weeks ago than where it is today (post SIAL news).
Could be the SIAL news (stock purchase), put a higher floor in?!
GL
RU
Alot of questions here about patents.
Regarding Patent Strength...SGMOs Patents are after all what KBLB is licensing the use of from SIAL. Found this on the IV board, thought it worthy of repost for discussion purposes here. It is a formidable partner in this regards.
From the SGMO website:
http://investor.sangamo.com/faq.cfm
Sangamo has licensed intellectual property directed to the design, selection and use of ZFPs and ZFP TFs for gene regulation from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Johnson & Johnson, The Scripps Research Institute, Harvard University and Johns Hopkins University. These licenses grant us rights to make, use and sell ZFPs, ZFNs and ZFP TFs under fifteen families of patent filings. All of these patent families have been filed in the United States and many have been filed internationally in selected countries. As of February 1, 2011 these patent filings have resulted in twenty issued U.S. patents. We believe these licensed patents and patent applications include all of the early and important patent filings directed to design, selection and use of ZFPs, ZFNs and ZFP TFs. As of February 1, 2011 we have eighty-nine families of internally generated U.S. patent filings, including sixty-two U.S. and one hundred and seventy-two foreign issued patents, based on Sangamo's internal research. These patent filings are directed to improvements in the design and use of ZFPs, ZFNs and ZFP TFs.
GLTA
RU
I would add, as with SIAL's deal with SGMO, "deals" are often amended to include new stuff going forward. Deal #1 is not Deal #final. Keep that in mind when looking at 200 spider silk genes KBLB has a lock on with SIAL....maybe the CC mid May is we've decided to add an additional 200 spider silk genes, or jellyfish genes or human collagen production genes, or.........the list is pretty long/endless.
RU
That should answer some questions....
In 2004, a Japanese research group performed a threefold whole-genome shotgun (WGS) sequencing of the silk genome. Shortly thereafter, a Chinese group also obtained a draft sequence of the silkworm genome with a sevenfold WGS analysis. Upon the integration of the data from these two countries the full sequence was completed in 2008.
That means KBLB knows where the genes are!
RU
Welcome BioDoc, great post. Finding out more about a worm than I ever thought I'd be interested in. Very interesting that the worm can be used as a mini production plant for human collagen. Who would have thought of that?!
I'll say, anything you can do with piggybac, you should be able to do faster, more reliably (cheaper) with ZFN's. I wonder if KBLB has this type work in their sights as well? Hmmmm....Isn't SIAL is a big seller of recombinant proteins?
RU
GM Rats are being sold off the shelf from SAGE Labs. Also work in hamsters and zebra fish are widely known. As for the rats at SAGE, they have a 35k sq. ft. facility, they bought to breed them. Knockin, knockout, custom....you name it. ZFN used in every one of these with success.
RU
Dear Sirs/Madam: Another update, for those following them;
I Received this today from SIAL regarding my request for more information: I sent on 4-28-11;
Dear Mr. Bedell,
Thank you for your response. I was aware of the deal with Kraig Biocraft as it was one of the primary reasons my question was asked. I would also like to know if you could provide me with a link regarding your Commercial Animal Technologies Group that outlines what the goals and objectives are for the New Ventures department.
I am fascinated by the potential of CompZr's use and its applications in the area of transgenic animal production, human therapeutics modeling and materials science.
Thank you in advance for your time.
Their response;
I'm sorry to say we don't have any public information about CATG or our new ventures group, but we're essentially a Business Development group working on commercial ZFN opportunities similar to the one we have with KBLB. To discover more about how ZFNs work in animals, you can go here:
http://www.sigma.com/zfn4animals
Joseph Bedell, PhD / Director
New Ventures
Commercial Animal Technologies Group
Pig, not likely gonna have much to do with KBLB...chances are close to Zero... SIAL's stated interest in new ventures like this one with KBLB are considered only as a way for SIAL investors to feel comfortable that no one component of their revenues exceeds 1% of their overall sales. This is a stated objective of SIAL in making sure they have diversity relating to their income streams.
That said, they do want every deal they enter into to reach/exceed their expectations regarding bottom line contribution to revs, including this deal with KBLB.
When news comes out from SIAL about KBLB it will probably take the form of "we have spider silk available for testing in your labs", today's special, buy one get one free!! lol
Keep watching their website for updates, extolling the virtues of the "numerous types of SuperSILK now available".
They did this exact thing with ZFN's. Very exciting times.
GLTA
RU
I posted this the other day. It is a communication from SIAL's director of new ventures, commercial animals technology group, Joseph Bedell. My question to him was...Is SAGE Lab's currently set up to be able to handle the breeding/colonization of transgenic silkworms? MOL
He replied:
Thank you for your inquiry. At this time, our SAGE labs division is focused on rodent models of human disease and does not have any silkworm facilities. However, as you may be aware, we recently signed a deal with Kraig Biocraft Laboratories (KBLB) to enable them to use our CompoZr technology in silkworm transgenics. In addition we sell our CompoZr reagents to the research community for work in a number of animals, including silkworm. Our business model is to focus on a select few areas of animal transgenics for internal business development while at the same time enabling researchers and companies in other areas to create and share value using our technology. Please let me know if you need more information.
To me it implies that SIAL is supplying the ZFN's to KBLB and KBLB will be making the insertions of the ZFN's.
What i don't know, is if KBLB is going to be the one working with the ZFN's supplied by SIAL to render the results is this a good thing or a bad thing? ....How difficult are they to work with? Does KBLB have the right staff in place to work with them? etc...
Your knowledge on the process of insertion may be helpful in answering that question for me.
Thanks in advance.
RU