BACKGROUND
Founded in 2009, the company owns seven patent families in the fields of genome editing and bioproduction in plant cells. The head offices are at Genopole and the laboratories at the INRAE center in Versailles.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRODUCTS / SERVICES / TECHNOLOGY
Algentech has developed breakthrough technologies in synthetic biology and genome editing for multisectoral applications.
Algentech’s technology makes it possible to convert plants into green factories (bio)producing high-value specialty compounds for the pharmaceutical, energy and cosmetics industries.
Algentech’s method is based on the transformation of plant chloroplasts. The company developed a system of minichromosomes that can replicate autonomously and carry multiple expression units, thus enabling the transfer and expression of entire biosynthesis pathways in chloroplasts. Large amounts of nucleic acids are produced and protein expression levels routinely reach more than 50% of total soluble proteins. Transforming plant cells into green factories reduces the carbon footprint by incorporating CO2 into the production process.
Gene targeting technology in the nuclear genome makes it possible, among other things:
• to quickly identify genes associated with important agronomic traits;
• to modify certain genes to allow, for example, improvements in nutritional quality.
Targeted gene suppression is also used to facilitate the production of therapeutic proteins in plants.
Algentech develops three innovative technologies for the agro-biotech sector, the tobacco industry, biofuel production, the pharmaceutical industry and plant research applications.
CUSTOMER REFERENCES / COLLABORATIONS / HIGHLIGHTS
– In France: a collaboration is underway with a French seed company for targeting tests of the corn genome.
– In the USA: Algentech has an ongoing partnership with an American multinational for a chloroplast production project. Also, the company has signed a second agreement to develop new soybean lines.
– In Europe: Algentech has recently obtained funding from the European Space Agency for a project to develop plants resistant to perchlorate and ionizing radiation, with a view to future plant cultivation on Mars.
COLLABORATIONS SOUGHT
Algentech targets agro-industrial leaders, the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries, and the energy sector for co-development and licensing partnerships.
