Calyxt successfully transforms hemp genome to improve advanced materials, fiber, protein

In Minnesota, Calyxt, Inc., a plant-based technology company, successfully transformed hemp genome, enabling a step-change in innovation approaches in the species. This transformation technology enables future advancements in hemp such as trait delivery, gene editing and advanced plant breeding and is expected to accelerate hemp variety development.

Out of reach by U.S. farmers and seed breeders for nearly 80 years, hemp has not benefited from modern breeding and genomics advances – until now. Calyxt is enabling improvements in identified plant behaviors and traits, which will allow hemp breeders to select new varieties that will establish it as a modern, stable and valuable broad-acre crop to be positioned at the forefront of agricultural opportunity.

Calyxt’s first efforts are focused on standardizing the crop for broad-acre adoption, reduced risk hemp production and modernizing the breeding process. Calyxt anticipates its innovations will initially come to market as breeding platform tools or licensed traits and be commercialized by leading germplasm and hemp-based ingredient and material companies.