Yield10 Bioscience receives favorable ruling from the Argentine Biosafety Commission (CONABIA) for company’s Camelina lines

Yield10 Bioscience, Inc. (Nasdaq:YTEN) (“Yield10” or the “Company”), an agricultural bioscience company, announced it has received a favorable determination from the Argentine Biosafety Commission (Comisión Nacional de Biotecnología Agropecuaria or “CONABIA”) for three CRISPR genome edited Camelina lines.

CONABIA conducted an evaluation of three CRISPR genome edited Camelina lines presented by Yield10 and determined that these plants are similar to conventionally bred Camelina varieties, and thus are not regulated under the biotechnology resolution No. 763/11 of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries in Argentina. CONABIA confirmed that because Yield10’s edited Camelina does not contain any foreign inserted DNA, this variety can be marketed like conventionally bred Camelina which does not require any pre-market authorizations. The Company’s CRISPR edited Camelina lines covered by the CONABIA ruling are E3902 as well as two distinct C3007 (BADC) Camelina lines developed by Yield10.

“This year we conducted our first field tests of conventional elite Camelina germplasm in Argentina, and now this favorable ruling from CONABIA streamlines the process for growing our CRISPR genome edited Camelina lines in Argentina as our seed scale up needs require,” said Kristi Snell, Ph.D., Chief Science Officer of Yield10 Bioscience. “We are pleased to see support for biotech innovation in agriculture as we bring forward new traits to increase crop yield and introduce Camelina as a new option for growers.”

Yield10 developed line E3902 and the two C3007 (BADC) Camelina lines as part of its program to identify gene targets useful for increasing oil content in oilseed crops. Yield10 researchers produced line E3902 using CRISPR genome editing to modify three genes involved in oil biosynthesis and oil turnover in Camelina. In field trials to date, the E3902 Camelina line has shown a consistent 5 percent increase in seed oil content as a percentage of seed weight over control plants. The E3902 trait represents a leading trait in Yield10’s pipeline and is currently being scaled up to produce oil for sampling. The C3007 trait is at the field testing stage in Camelina and canola to evaluate its activity as a way to increase oil biosynthesis in oilseed crops. Yield10 previously cleared these Camelina lines from regulation in the U.S. under the “Am I regulated?” process administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS).

Argentina is a prominent player in agriculture as well as aquaculture production. Soybean has become a critical crop for the country as it is expected to produce an estimated 46 million metric tons in 2022. Argentina possesses a suitable climate for Camelina, making it ideal for growing as a cover crop in rotation with soybean. CRISPR genome edited Camelina is a potentially high impact crop for Argentinian growers with good market potential for oil and meal production targeting the aquaculture market. CONABIA’s favorable decision on Yield10’s CRISPR genome edited Camelina lines is a significant step for Yield10’s elite Camelina lines to access these markets.

About Camelina sativa

Camelina sativa, commonly known as Camelina or false flax, is an annual oilseed plant in the mustard family that is native to Europe. Camelina has the potential to replicate the development of modern canola from rapeseed on an accelerated timeline based on modern technologies, including genomics and genome editing. Additionally, Camelina grows on marginal lands, displays early maturation, has enhanced drought and cold tolerance, and requires fewer inputs than other oilseed crops. With social conscience and sustainability in mind, Yield10 is leveraging its innovations in Camelina to use it as a platform crop for producing low-carbon feedstock oil for renewable fuel; nutritional oil, including omega-3; high-protein meal; and PHA bioplastic.