Full Press Release Details
Completes Second Year of Field Trials of its High Oleic Soybean Product
NEW BRIGHTON, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--November 2, 2015--Calyxt, Inc., a
Minnesota-based company focusing on developing healthier food products
to benefit both consumers and farmers, today announced that it has
completed the second year of multi-location field trials in Minnesota
and South Dakota of its high oleic/no trans fat soybean variety.
For many food applications, standard soybean oil is hydrogenated to
improve heat stability and shelf life. This process also increases the
amount of saturated fatty acids and creates trans-fats, which have been
linked to numerous human health issues. Calyxt has created a
non-transgenic variety of soybean with elevated levels of
monounsaturated (oleic) fatty acids and decreased levels of saturated
fatty acids (palmitic and acid) and polyunsaturated fatty acids
(linoleic and linolenic). Compared to standard soybean oil, the Calyxt
soybean variety generates oil that eliminates the need for hydrogenation.
The oleic acid content (81%) achieved in Calyxt's high oleic soybean
variety is equal to or exceeds the oleic acid level of transgenic, high
oleic soybean varieties currently being grown in the U.S. In addition,
the yield of the Calyxt variety in these field trials was equivalent to
current conventional varieties, putting Calyxt on the road for a
commercial launch of its non-transgenic variety in the next couple of
years. Counter-season seed production is currently underway to
facilitate a commercial launch in the U.S. while additional field trials
are conducted over the next few growing seasons.
"With the recent ban (July 2015) of trans fat products by the FDA, high
oleic soybean varieties will likely become the next commodity soybean.
The very high amount of oleic acid consistently observed in our field
trials demonstrates that our high oleic soybean variety would not only
be non-transgenic but also best-in-class to other transgenic high oleic
varieties, positioning us as a potential leader," said Dan Voytas, Chief
Scientific Officer of Calyxt, Inc.
Founded in 2010, Calyxt, Inc. (previously Cellectis plant sciences,
Inc.) is based in New Brighton, Minnesota (USA). The company aims to
create healthier crop products such as low trans fat soybean oil,
cold-storable potato, gluten reduced wheat and low saturated fat canola
oil for the food and agriculture industries. Calyxt is developing a
network of partnerships in order to secure accessibility of its food
products to consumers.
For further information please visit our website: www.calyxt.com
Calyxt and the corporate logo are trademarks owned by Calyxt, Inc.
This press release and the information contained herein do not
constitute an offer to sell or subscribe, or a solicitation of an offer
to buy or subscribe, for shares in Cellectis SA in any country. This
press release contains forward-looking statements that relate to the
Company's objectives based on the current expectations and assumptions
of the Company's management only and involve risk and uncertainties that
could cause the Company to fail to achieve the objectives expressed by
the forward-looking statements above.
For further information, please contact:
Jennifer Moore, 917-580-1088
Strategic Communications
Caitlin Kasunich / Dixon Moretz,
212-896-1241 / 212-896-1251
Simon Harnest, 646-385-9008