Agragen LLC has reached an agreement concerning a family of patents held by DuPont Pioneer to manipulate fatty acid in plant profiles.  The company is focused on creating a high-yielding camelina, or false flax, with the same omega-3 fatty acid found in fish oil.

“By sustainably producing these bioactive fatty acids, which are so important for human health and disease, we can reduce the strain on their traditional, marine-based sources,” said Sam Huttenbauer, Jr., chief development officer of Agragen. “Licensing this technology from DuPont Pioneer will allow us to make a major step toward bringing this long-held corporate goal to fruition.”

Agragen also recently licensed technology from The University of Hong Kong that will enable its on-going efforts to improve camelina yield and enhance its drought tolerance.

“Combining these two technologies gives Agragen a global leadership position in producing heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids in camelina, in a highly economical manner,” said Eric J. Murphy, chief science officer, Agragen. “When developing a sustainable product, we know adoption often depends on the product’s potential for profit. By combining these technologies with the DuPont Pioneer technology, the yield per acre over traditional camelina will be enhanced, providing a logistical and agronomic advantage over others in this space.”