Dow AgroSciences, KeyGene Enter Into a Trait Development Agreement

Dow AgroSciences LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW), and Keygene N.V. announced that they have entered into a Trait Development Agreement. This agreement will allow Dow AgroSciences and KeyGene to combine their experience and technologies to develop traits for improved yield in tomatoes. 

Under the terms of the agreement, Dow AgroSciences will provide KeyGene with access to EXZACT™ Precision Technology, its experience in targeted genome modification, and research support for use in a program focused on tomato yield enhancement. KeyGene will apply its expertise in molecular breeding, vegetable genetics and tomato protoplast technology to perform the research.
 
Dow AgroSciences EXZACT Precision Technology provides a versatile and comprehensive toolkit for targeted genome modification in plants. Its demonstrated ability to specifically and efficiently target plant genome sequences delivers a means for engineering multi-gene stacks and editing native genes.
 
"KeyGene brings a wealth of experience in plant molecular breeding in the vegetable and ornamentals business," said Kay Kuenker, Vice President for New Business at Dow AgroSciences. "By combining their knowledge with our EXZACT Precision Technology, we have an opportunity to bring significant innovation and value to the vegetable market. This agreement is another example of how Dow AgroSciences is delivering on its growth strategy through technological innovation and collaboration. Looking to the future, this agreement also lays the foundation for a long-term relationship in which we can work together to use EXZACT™ in additional crops of mutual interest."

Mark van Haaren, Vice President of Business Development at KeyGene, added, "KeyGene is excited about the opportunity to work with Dow AgroSciences in this trait development project. This agreement allows KeyGene and its partners to access a groundbreaking and potent technology that moves us toward realization of our ambitious goals in the area of targeted mutagenesis. The collaboration with Dow AgroSciences will allow us to benefit from our collective experience and to expedite the development of an improved tomato, thereby setting the stage for additional collaborative efforts in a number of the worlds largest vegetable crops."

Together, Dow AgroSciences and KeyGene will use their state-of-the-art technologies to modify the tomato genome, resulting in tomatoes with greater yield potential. This will allow tomato growers to enhance productivity while using their current growing practices. Dow AgroSciences will have exclusive rights to commercialize the resulting tomato traits and KeyGene will receive royalties from Dow AgroSciences based on sales of the improved tomato.

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

About Dow AgroSciences
Dow AgroSciences LLC, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, is a top-tier agricultural company that combines the power of science and technology with the "Human Element" to constantly improve what is essential to human progress. Dow AgroSciences provides innovative technologies for crop protection, pest and vegetation management, seeds, traits, and agricultural biotechnology to serve the worlds growing population. Global sales for Dow AgroSciences, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company, are $4.5 billion. Learn more at www.dowagro.com.

About KeyGene
KeyGene  is a R&D company with the mission to be the leading company in developing and applying DNA expertise in the field of molecular genetics with a focus on crop plants. KeyGenes up to date R&D facilities with next generation sequencing platforms, an extensive computational infrastructure and long experience in working with plant genomes form the firm basis of the Crop Genome Center, which focuses on the development of high quality genome assemblies of 6F crops. KeyGene exploits its proprietary technologies, databases and know-how through strategic alliances, contract research and products for applications in the plant breeding industry. KeyGene has its headquarters in Wageningen, The Netherlands, a subsidiary in Rockville Maryland, USA and a joint lab at the Shanghai Institute of Biological Sciences in Shanghai, China.