Bioheuris partners with GDM to develop crop management system in soybeans using gene editing

ROSARIO, Argentina, June 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bioheuris, an agbiotech startup that uses synthetic biology and gene editing for improved crop management, and GDM, a leading global soybeans genetics powerhouse, today announced a collaboration agreement to develop high yielding varieties using gene editing technology.

Through this collaboration, both companies will be engaged to precisely modify soybean genes to obtain elite varieties with a novel crop management system.

"Two months ago, we filed a provisional patent in the US to cover crop genes optimized with the use of our novel protein evolution technology Heurik^TM. Bioheuris' miniaturized high-throughput approach is able to mimic in a few weeks in the lab what it would take hundreds of acres and years of field trials to accomplish," said Lucas Lieber, CEO and co-founder of Bioheuris. "Partnering with GDM to improve elite soybeans is an important step towards bringing farmers access to more integrated crop protection solutions on high yielding varieties."

Over the last 40 years, GDM has been using cutting edge technology to improve soybean varieties, with a focus on constant innovation and state-of-the-art breeding programs in more than 15 countries. Today, more than one third of the world's soybean production is made using GDM genetics.

"Bioheuris' mission aligns with GDM's vision of developing the best varieties to improve agricultural productivity and address farmer needs to face the increasing market demands to feed the growing population" said Manuel Mihura, Strategy and New Business Director for GDM. "The synergy of both companies creates an exciting opportunity to dramatically accelerate soybean breeding and provide growers, seed multipliers, and the seed industry more options to increase productivity and face market demands."

About Bioheuris
Bioheuris is an Argentine-born biotechnology company committed to developing sustainable weed management systems in corn, soybeans, cotton, rice, sorghum, and alfalfa. Powered by synthetic biology and gene editing platforms in Argentina and the United States, Bioheuris accelerates plant breeding to evolve crops faster than weeds. Learn more at www.bioheuris.com

About GDM
GDM is a global soybean genetics powerhouse. One out of every three planted acres in the world contains GDM genetics. With almost 40 years in the soybean breeding industry, GDM continues its quest to provide the market with the highest yielding soybean genetics. We have 16 breeding stations globally, 700 testing locations, and we test more than 1.5 million plots per year. Learn more at www.gdmseeds.com

SOURCE Bioheuris