Kraig Biocraft Laboratories Inc (KBLB)

[MU_Redskin1]

NEWS Sigma Aldrich to make modified SILKWORMS !!!!

Reported in the St. Louis business Journal TODAY !!!! Another PR tomorrow???

http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/

Look in the latest news section !!!

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credit amotewm11 IV board

Sigma-Aldrich to make modified silk worms
St. Louis Business Journal - by Kelsey Volkmann
Date: Tuesday, April 12, 2011, 9:50am CDT

A Sigma-Aldrich unit has signed an agreement with Kraig Biocraft Laboratories Inc. to develop genetically modified silkworms for the production of spider silk.

The transfer of silk genes from the spider to the silkworm is expected to allow the mass production of silk with enhanced strength and elasticity with potential textiles and biomedical applications, such as sutures, tendon and ligament repair, bulletproof vests and automobile airbags, said Sigma Life Science, the biological products and services research business of Sigma-Aldrich.

Last year, Kraig Biocraft Laboratories produced hybrid silkworms with randomly inserted spider silk genes, yielding hybrid spider silkworm silk with greater strength and durability than native silkworm silk.

Sigma-Aldrich said it would build on this research by using its technology to insert spider silk genes into the silkworm genome while removing endogenous silkworm silk genes. The resulting transgenic silkworm is expected to be capable of spinning pure spider silk at commercially viable production levels, Sigma-Aldrich said.

The St. Louis-based life-science and specialty chemical company (Nasdaq: SIAL), led by CEO Rakesh Sachdev, reported sales of $2.3 billion in 2010.