U.S. Patent Allowed For 22nd Century Group’s Technology to Regulate Nicotine Levels in Tobacco
June 11 2014 - 1:40PM
Business Wire
22nd Century Group, Inc. (NYSE MKT:XXII) today announced that on
June 9, 2014 the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued a
Notice of Allowance to the Company for technology that reduces
nicotine in tobacco by suppressing expression of the NBB gene by
itself and in combination with other nicotine biosynthesis
genes.
There are various commercial applications of the NBB technology,
including producing cigarettes with various nicotine levels, from
very low to high. The Company expects to use very low nicotine
cigarettes produced with the NBB technology for a modified risk
application to be filed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Many studies have been carried out with the Company’s proprietary
very low nicotine cigarettes. A recently published independent
clinical trial (Vogel et al. 2014), concluded, “Very low nicotine
content (VLNC) cigarettes lead to a reduction in the number of
cigarettes smoked, toxicant exposure, withdrawal symptoms and
dependence.”
U.S. Patent Application Number 11/579,661, Reducing Levels of
Nicotinic Alkaloids in Plants, and related International Patent
Application PCT/IB2006/001741, cover methods for producing tobacco
plants with decreased nicotine levels and tobacco plants and
products produced therefrom. The patent will be granted by the
USPTO shortly, and upon grant the USPTO will convey to the Company
a Patent Term Adjustment, which is expected to extend the
expiration date beyond February 28, 2026.
The NBB gene encodes a protein, “nicotine synthase,” that is
involved in the final step of nicotine biosynthesis. Having eluded
scientists for decades, this protein can be down-regulated or
up-regulated to produce tobacco varieties with a wide range of
nicotine levels. International Patent Application PCT/IB2006/004043
covers methods for producing tobacco plants with increased nicotine
levels with the NBB technology and tobacco plants and products
produced therefrom. Patent applications for the NBB technology have
been filed by 22nd Century on a worldwide basis and patents are
currently issued to 22nd Century in China, Japan, Taiwan, Mexico,
Australia and South Africa. Patents will also soon be granted to
22nd Century for the NBB technology in the United Kingdom, Ireland,
Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Switzerland and Turkey.
Dr. Takashi Hashimoto of the Nara Institute of Science and
Technology (NAIST), a world-renowned plant molecular biologist, is
an inventor of the NBB technology. 22nd Century funded research and
development at NAIST from 2005 to 2009, and in 2010 NAIST assigned
various patent families to 22nd Century, including the NBB patent
families.
The Company’s vice president of research and development, Dr.
Michael Moynihan stated, “The NBB gene technology is one of the
keystones of 22nd Century’s intellectual property and represents
our second-generation gene technology that has significant
advantages over our earlier technology.” Specifically, the sole
function of NBB is to produce nicotine and other nicotinic
alkaloids.
About 22nd Century Group, Inc.
22nd Century is a plant biotechnology company whose proprietary
technology allows for the levels of nicotine and other nicotinic
alkaloids (e.g., nornicotine, anatabine and anabasine) in the
tobacco plant to be decreased or increased through genetic
engineering and plant breeding. 22nd Century owns or is the
exclusive licensee of 116 issued patents in 78 countries plus an
additional 42 pending patent applications. Goodrich Tobacco
Company, LLC and Hercules Pharmaceuticals, LLC are wholly-owned
subsidiaries of 22nd Century. Goodrich Tobacco is focused on
commercial tobacco products and potentially less harmful
cigarettes. Hercules Pharmaceuticals is focused on X-22, a
prescription smoking cessation aid in development.
For additional information, please visit:
www.xxiicentury.com
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This press
release contains forward-looking information, including all
statements that are not statements of historical fact regarding the
intent, belief or current expectations of 22nd Century Group, Inc.,
its directors or its officers with respect to the contents of this
press release. The words “may,” “would,” “will,” “expect,”
“estimate,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “intend” and similar
expressions and variations thereof are intended to identify
forward-looking statements. We cannot guarantee future results,
levels of activity or performance. You should not place undue
reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as
of the date that they were made. These cautionary statements should
be considered with any written or oral forward-looking statements
that we may issue in the future. Except as required by applicable
law, including the securities laws of the United States, we do not
intend to update any of the forward-looking statements to conform
these statements to reflect actual results, later events or
circumstances, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated
events. You should carefully review and consider the various
disclosures made by us in our annual report on Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2013, filed on January 30, 2014,
including the section entitled “Risk Factors,” and our other
reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
which attempt to advise interested parties of the risks and factors
that may affect our business, financial condition, results of
operation and cash flows. If one or more of these risks or
uncertainties materialize, or if the underlying assumptions prove
incorrect, our actual results may vary materially from those
expected or projected.
Redington, Inc.Tom Redington, 203-222-7399
22nd Century (AMEX:XXII)
Historical Stock Chart
From Aug 2024 to Sep 2024
22nd Century (AMEX:XXII)
Historical Stock Chart
From Sep 2023 to Sep 2024