AgroPages-NewLeaf expected to be granted European, Japanese patents-Agricultural news

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Officials with NewLeaf Symbiotics, an agricultural biotech company commercializing products from naturally occurring bacteria that are meant to boost farmers’ yields, said they expect to be granted European and Japanese patents on their foundational production process technology.

NewLeaf says its technology permits rapid, cost-effective production of large quantities of Pink-Pigmented Facultative Methylotrophs (PPFM), a naturally occurring beneficial bacteria which can improve yield and pest tolerance in treated crops. The company is led by CEO Tom Laurita.

“The grant of patents in Europe and Japan is significant for the company because we expect production and commercialization of our products to scale throughout the world,” said Desmond Jimenez, vice president for product development at NewLeaf. “We are beginning sales in the U.S. and Canada, and have conducted successful tests in South America. We see real opportunity in Europe and Japan as these markets are hungry for more sustainable agricultural practices and NewLeaf can fill that demand.”

Charley Romano, senior patent agent at Thompson Coburn, drafted and prosecuted the patent applications in collaboration with NewLeaf inventor Gregg Bogosian.

The company, with more than 30 employees, has raised more than $24 million from investors to date and operates out of BRDG Park at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in Creve Coeur.

The company moved from Boston to St. Louis in 2012.

Earlier this year, NewLeaf made several key personnel moves. Among those additions: Kishore Nannapaneni, a former Bayer Biologics scientist, as its bioinformatics lead; Sarita Chauhan as the company’s director of fermentation and technology development; Mike McFatrich as vice president for business strategy and development; Brock Waggoner as its new manager of field biology and agronomy; and Alan Gould as an advisory board member.