Kraig Biocraft Laboratories Inc (KBLB)

[first mike]

...but if they started today, with enough money, they could probably make up those 12 yrs in about 6 months...

NO!
You need to understand the difference between technology and research.
CRISPER and TALENS are technology.
When a researcher discovers or creates a new way of doing things, and developers work out the bugs and problems, and a marketer/manufacturer packages it up in a nice easy to use kit, and all or most of the above collaborate to "Write the Book" - That is technology.
When a talented brilliant investigator who has spent about 20 years learning to Understand his subject, not just to follow the recipes, devotes whatever amount of time is needed to solve a unique problem or create a unique new design, that is research.
I am not saying that Dr. Davis is a unique genius, but you cant just look in the phone directory and call a guy.
And Davis did NOT write the book to show the average journeyman biochemist how to do what he did.
That would be a very difficult book to write or course to give as it is not easy to teach creativity.
I have not done an exhaustive search (you are welcome to) but I do not know of any paper or presentation where Davis tells how he did it.
The only reference I have seen to this bit of synthesis is in a radio interview where he mentions it in passing.
He just says he did it, not how you too can do it in your garage.

While I am certain that this discovery can be repeated your estimate of 6 months is far too low (sort of like that of a pointy haired boss shown below). My estimate would be 2 or 3 years for a truly world class researcher.
PS. Don't bother to tell me that they could just copy what Davis invented, They could, but that would be the equivalent of leaving a bloody knife at the scene of the murder covered with your fingerprints and engraved with your name and address. That little sequence is the most unique and unnatural part of the new spider-worm genome!

Mike L.