Cibus Partnering with The John Innes Centre for UK Government's Farming Innovation Programme Precision Breeding Initiative
MWN-AI** Summary
Cibus, Inc. (Nasdaq: CBUS), a prominent agricultural technology firm, has partnered with the John Innes Centre in a significant initiative backed by the UK Government’s Farming Innovation Programme. The project, focusing on the development of durable resistance to Light Leaf Spot (LLS) disease in oilseed rape, is a response to an agricultural challenge that has reportedly led to yield losses exceeding £300 million in recent years.
Tony Moran, Cibus’s Senior VP of International Development, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, emphasizing the integration of their proprietary Rapid Trait Development System™ (RTDS®) with leading research institutions. This collaboration aims to enhance crop resilience through precise gene editing, which can drastically reduce the time required to introduce new traits into the market.
The project, known as LLS-ERASED (Light Leaf Spot Enhancing Resistance and Reducing Susceptibility with Editing), involves a consortium of 12 partners, including industry and academia. It targets the UK's most damaging oilseed rape disease by effectively turning off specific susceptibility genes in elite breeding lines. The goal is to create high-yielding varieties that possess durable, multi-disease resistance, thereby aiding farmers in combating ongoing agricultural threats.
Additionally, this initiative aligns with the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023, solidifying England’s position as a frontrunner in gene-edited crop development. The UK government’s funding through Defra, in collaboration with Innovate UK, will support 15 innovative projects aimed at boosting agricultural productivity and sustainability.
Cibus’s role in this transformative project underscores its commitment to shaping the future of agriculture by developing advanced traits for seed companies, ultimately benefiting farmers and consumers amid rising global challenges. For more information about Cibus’s oilseed rape program, visit their website.
MWN-AI** Analysis
Cibus Inc.'s recent partnership with the John Innes Centre under the UK Government’s Farming Innovation Programme represents a significant turning point for the agricultural technology sector and indicates robust future growth potential for the company. Leveraging its proprietary Rapid Trait Development System™ (RTDS®), Cibus aims to address the challenge of Light Leaf Spot disease in oilseed rape, an issue that has resulted in substantial economic losses totaling £300 million annually for UK farmers.
This strategic collaboration enhances Cibus' positioning as a leader in gene-editing technology within the agricultural market. The UK's commitment to gene editing, especially in light of the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023, reinforces the environment for adopting innovative solutions aimed at increasing crop resilience and productivity. The successful development and introduction of disease-resistant oilseed rape varieties may not only restore confidence among farmers but also create significant market opportunities for Cibus.
Investors should consider the implications of the UK government's investment in agricultural innovation. The £21.5 million allocated to projects like LLS-ERASED not only provides Cibus with financial backing but also underscores the increasing governmental and industrial support for precision breeding initiatives. As Cibus progresses through this project, the ability to scale its traits effectively could accelerate revenue generation through strategic licensing agreements with seed companies.
In conclusion, Cibus positioning itself at the forefront of innovative agricultural solutions could foster long-term growth. As the global market increasingly prioritizes sustainability and disease resistance in agriculture, now may be an opportune time for investors to consider Cibus as a potential player in this transformative sector. The confluence of scientific advancement and governmental support positions Cibus for a promising trajectory within the agricultural technology landscape.
**MWN-AI Summary and Analysis is based on asking OpenAI to summarize and analyze this news release.
Cibus to utilize proprietary Rapid Trait Development System™ to enable development of durable resistance to Light Leaf Spot disease, which has caused estimated yield losses of up to £300m in recent years
SAN DIEGO, Feb. 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cibus, Inc. (Nasdaq: CBUS) (the “Company” or “Cibus”), a leading agricultural technology company that develops and licenses plant traits to seed companies, today announced its participation as a key technology partner in a landmark research and development project funded by the UK Government’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), underscoring the potential benefits of gene editing for enabling crop improvement and innovation to the benefit of seed companies, growers, and consumers.
Announced this week, the project is part of the Farming Innovation Programme, with Defra investing in mid-stage precision breeding projects designed to strengthen the resilience and productivity of UK agriculture. Cibus will apply its proprietary gene-editing expertise to address one of the most pressing challenges facing farmers, the sustainable protection of oilseed rape (OSR) against Light Leaf Spot disease.
“We are excited to be chosen for this critical program and to support the UK’s vision for a more resilient agricultural sector,” said Tony Moran, Senior Vice President of International Development at Cibus. “By integrating our precision breeding technology with the world-class research at the John Innes Centre and the University of Hertfordshire, the project aims to provide a vital tool for farmers. Our Rapid Trait Development System™ (RTDS®) enables precise gene edits in elite OSR breeding lines, significantly shortening the time needed to bring new traits to market. However, the potential project impact goes beyond just the science; it’s about helping farmers combat an increasingly challenging pathogen and an important step in preserving the economics of oilseed rape as the staple break crop in the UK.”
The LLS-ERASED (Light Leaf Spot Enhancing Resistance and Reducing Susceptibility with Editing) project targets Light Leaf Spot, the UK's most destructive oilseed rape disease, which cost growers an estimated £300 million in 2022 alone. By "switching off" specific susceptibility genes, a consortium of 12 industry and academic partners, including Cibus, aims to deliver high-yielding varieties with durable, multi-disease resistance. The initiative, if successful, would enable bringing the first precision-bred oilseed rape varieties to growers, marking a significant step towards restoring confidence and resilience in one of the UK’s most important break crops.
Dr. Rachel Wells, Project Technical Lead at the John Innes Centre, commented on the potential outcomes of this multidisciplinary collaborative project and partnership with Cibus, “I am excited to be working with Cibus to develop material with reduced susceptibility to light leaf spot disease in an elite agronomic background. To get our genetics from research to out on farm will be a major achievement and an excellent example for future improvement of target traits.”
Additionally, Tom Allen-Stevens, Project Lead from the British On-Farm Innovation Network (BOFIN), one of the key collaborators in the LLS-ERASED project added, “The Lab to Farm nature of the work is very exciting and a broader objective of the project is to develop a model that can be applied to a pipeline of future precision bred traits, including resistance to other diseases and pests such as cabbage stem flea beetle.”
The project aligns with the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023, which has positioned England as a global hub for gene-edited crop development. For Cibus, this partnership reinforces its role as a leading technology provider to the global seed industry, facilitating the development of productivity enhancing and disease-resistant traits.
The Defra Farming Innovation Programme funding, delivered in partnership with Innovate UK, will enable the research-industry collaborations to develop sustainable new crops, open new markets, and support farmers by harnessing precision breeding techniques. At least £21.5m in new funding will back 15 innovation projects across England and Wales to help farms cut emissions, strengthen resilience, and boost productivity.
To learn more about the Cibus Canola/Oilseed rape program, please visit: www.cibus.com/products/canola.
About Cibus
Cibus is a leader in developing traits (characteristics) that address critical productivity, yield and sustainability challenges. Cibus’ proprietary high-throughput gene-editing technologies drive its long-term focus on productivity traits for farmers for the major global row crops. Cibus is not a seed company. It is a technology company that uses its gene editing technologies to develop plant traits at a fraction of the time and cost of conventional breeding and to license them to customers in exchange for royalties, leveraging its strong partnerships across the seed industry as a whole.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of present or historical fact included herein, including statements regarding Cibus’ operational and financial performance, strategy, future operations, prospects, and plans, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as "anticipate," "believe," “contemplate,” "intend," "expect," "plan," "scheduled," "could," "would" and "will," or the negative of these and similar expressions.
These forward-looking statements are based on the current expectations and assumptions of Cibus' management about future events, which are based on currently available information. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and beyond the control of Cibus. Cibus' actual results, level of activity, performance, or achievements could be materially different than those expressed, implied, or anticipated by forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including, but not limited to: Cibus' need for additional near-term funding to finance its activities and challenges in obtaining additional capital on acceptable terms, or at all; changes in expected or existing competition; challenges to Cibus' intellectual property protection and unexpected costs associated with defending intellectual property rights; increased or unanticipated time and resources required for Cibus' platform or trait product development efforts; Cibus' reliance on third parties in connection with its development activities; challenges associated with Cibus' ability to effectively license its productivity traits and sustainable ingredient products; the risk that farmers do not recognize the value in germplasm containing Cibus' traits or that farmers and processors fail to work effectively with crops containing Cibus' traits; delays or disruptions in the Company's platform or trait product development efforts; challenges that arise in respect of Cibus' production of high-quality plants and seeds cost effectively on a large scale; Cibus' dependence on distributions from Cibus Global, LLC to pay taxes and cover its corporate and overhead expenses; regulatory developments that disfavor or impose significant burdens on gene-editing processes or products; commodity prices and other market risks facing the agricultural sector; technological developments that could render Cibus' technologies obsolete; changes in macroeconomic and market conditions, including inflation, supply chain constraints, and rising interest rates; dislocations in the capital markets and challenges in accessing liquidity and the impact of such liquidity challenges on Cibus' ability to execute on its business plan; and other important factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of Cibus' Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on March 20, 2025. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties occur, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results and plans could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent Cibus' views as of the date hereof. Cibus specifically disclaims any obligation to update such forward-looking statements in the future, except as required under applicable law.
CIBUS CONTACTS:
INVESTOR RELATIONS
Jeff Sonnek – ICR
jeff.sonnek@icrinc.com
MEDIA RELATIONS
media@cibus.com
Colin Sanford
colin@bioscribe.com
FAQ**
How does Cibus Inc. (CBUS) plan to leverage its Rapid Trait Development System™ to accelerate the development of resistant oilseed rape varieties against Light Leaf Spot disease, while ensuring robust yield outcomes for farmers?
Can Cibus Inc. (CBUS) provide insights on the specific susceptibility genes targeting in the LLS-ERASED project, and how the results could influence future precision breeding initiatives beyond Light Leaf Spot resistance?
What measures is Cibus Inc. (CBUS) implementing to ensure that farmers recognize and adopt the new traits developed through the RTDS® for oilseed rape, particularly in combating Light Leaf Spot disease?
How will Cibus Inc. (CBUS) manage potential regulatory hurdles related to gene editing in the UK as it strives to commercialize high-yielding oilseed rape varieties with enhanced resistance to Light Leaf Spot disease?
**MWN-AI FAQ is based on asking OpenAI questions about Cibus Inc. (NASDAQ: CBUS).
NASDAQ: CBUS
CBUS Trading
5.73% G/L:
$3.4258 Last:
60,419 Volume:
$3.14 Open:
