U.K.-based Rothamsted Research Limited has granted Yield10 Bioscience an exclusive global, commercial license to advanced technology for producing sustainable omega-3 products in Camelina sativa. Yield10 is executing a plan to use engineered Camelina to commercially produce omega-3 oil and meal products targeting the aquafeed, pet food, and nutritional markets for omega-3 fatty acids. In consideration of the commercial license, Yield10 is expected to pay certain license fees, future milestone payments, and royalties based on the commercialization of Rothamsted’s omega-3 technology.
“Over the last three years, the Yield10 team has provided us with expertise and support as our team has advanced the development of engineered Camelina from field testing to planting at multi-acre scale to produce omega-3 oil,” said Professor Angela Karp, Rothamsted director and chief executive officer. “Yield10’s innovations and capabilities in Camelina are impressive and successful commercialization of this technology could have significant benefits, offering sustainable production of an oil essential for nutrition and wellness to consumers, as well as providing crop diversification to growers. We look forward to the commercialization of omega-3 oil and meal products by Yield10 in the years ahead.”
“Enabled by the Rothamsted technology, we are on a promising path to commercializing elite omega-3 producing varieties of Camelina that combine good agronomics in the field while also producing high-value, high-purity omega-3 oils possessing very attractive economics,” said Oliver Peoples, president and chief executive officer of Yield10 Bioscience. “In 2024, we are positioned to execute on the scale-up of omega-3-producing Camelina and submit key regulatory filings with the goal of being ready for an initial commercial launch into the oil and meal markets. We also look forward to improving the current Camelina varieties over time, particularly with the deployment of herbicide tolerance and other performance traits.”
In late 2020, Yield10 began a collaboration with Rothamsted to support Rothamsted’s Flagship Program to develop omega-3 oils in Camelina. The advanced technology developed by Rothamsted enables the sustainable, plant-based production of omega-3 nutritional oils in Camelina. Over the last decade, the Rothamsted team, led by Professor Johnathan Napier, science director, has demonstrated the production of omega-3 oils in Camelina seed and conducted evaluations of the oils in salmon feeding and human clinical studies to demonstrate lipid-lowering effects.
In the spring of 2024, Yield10 planted omega-3 (EPA and EPA+DHA) Camelina to scale up seed production.
