The Center for Aquaculture Technologies (CAT), a leading aquaculture R&D company focused on improving productivity, efficiency and sustainability in the aquaculture industry, has signed a licensing and research agreement with AquaBounty Technologies, Inc., a majority-owned subsidiary of Intrexon Corporation, to employ CAT’s patented sterility technology for use in products developed by AquaBounty.

 

AquaBounty and CAT are co-funding CAT's research using gene editing to produce a sterile finfish for use in aquaculture. CAT will hold the patents and AquaBounty will receive a non-exclusive, royalty-free, license to those patents and the technology.  The development work will be performed at CAT's facility in San Diego.

 

Dr. John Buchanan, CEO of CAT, commented: “We are delighted to work with AquaBounty to develop this technology and realize its potential in aquaculture.” 

 

Ronald Stotish, Chief Executive Officer of AquaBounty, added: “Although AquaBounty has been very successful in routinely achieving levels approaching 100% sterility using triploid induction technology, we are very pleased to be working with CAT and using their innovative gene editing approach to ensure 100% sterility genetically.  Sterility of farmed fish has many environmental and production benefits and we believe this project has a broad range of potential applications in the industry.”

 

CAT operates two laboratories: its research hub in San Diego, California, and the world’s only Level 3 certified pathogen containment, private aquaculture research facility located on Prince Edward Island in Canada. Owing to the expertise of its team and the unique versatility of its labs, CAT is enabling the aquaculture industry to achieve efficient production growth without endangering the natural environment.