Cibus' Confirms Important Milestone for Nutrient Use Efficiency Trait Development

Core Insights - Cibus has successfully edited its first Nutrient Use Efficiency (NUE) trait in Canola, marking a significant milestone in gene editing for major crops in North America [6][7] - The company aims to improve crop production efficiency by enhancing the absorption of soil-borne nutrients, thereby reducing fertilizer use without compromising yield [7][9] - Cibus utilizes its patented RTDS® technology platform, known as the Trait Machine™, to accelerate the development of complex traits compared to traditional breeding methods [4][8] Nutrient Use Efficiency (NUE) Development - The NUE trait is designed to enable lower fertilizer use while maintaining or improving expected crop yields, addressing the inefficiency of nitrogen absorption in plants [9] - Currently, only about one-third of applied nitrogen fertilizer is absorbed by plants, which limits biomass generation and grain yield [7] - The production of nitrogen fertilizer contributes to 3% of global CO2 emissions, and a 20% reduction in nitrogen fertilizer use could equate to removing 130 million cars from the road [7] Cibus' Technological Advancements - Cibus is a leader in next-generation gene-edited trait development, creating traits that are indistinguishable from those developed through traditional breeding [4] - The Trait Machine™ process allows for high-throughput gene editing, significantly changing the speed and scale of trait development [4][8] - The company has established a pipeline of advanced traits, including White Mold and HT2, alongside the newly developed NUE trait [2][8] Strategic Positioning and Partnerships - Through the merger with Calyxt, Cibus has solidified its position in gene editing and trait development for major crops, focusing on licensing traits to seed companies [8] - The company has developed multiple crop platforms, including Canola, Rice, and Wheat, and plans to complete its Soybean platform in 2024 [8] - Cibus emphasizes its capability to integrate third-party developed traits into its crop platforms, showcasing its versatility as a development partner [8]