SemBioSys Genetics
Encyclopedia
SemBioSys Genetics Inc. is a development stage agricultural biotechnology
company. It utilizes its renewable, patented plant seed-based oil body, and genetic expression technology platforms to develop and make high-value proteins and oils in oil seed producing plant species. The high-value proteins and oils are for the nutraceutical
, functional food
and beverage
, and pharmaceutical industries. SemBioSys’ seed-based protein and oil expression system can enable exceptionally low cost of production with unprecedented scalability and reliability. The company's strategy is to partner with other companies to enable the commercialization of products that might not otherwise be commercially viable because of high production and/or manufacturing costs. Further, SemBioSys is leveraging its platform through global partnerships to develop a variety of health and wellness, and healthy living products ranging from pharmaceuticals, functional foods ingredients, enzymes, and high-value and industrial oils, all with large addressable markets. In conjunction with its current partners, the company has developed nutritional oils, and ingredients for all natural cosmetics and food enzymes.
In October 2011, SemBioSys signed a product and platform development collaboration agreement with Tasly Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. of Tianjin, China and its wholly owned subsidiary Tasly U.S.. Tasly is one of China’s largest pharmaceutical companies and is China’s second largest producer of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), which are derived from plants. Upon government approval, a new company called Tasly-SemBioSys Bio-Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. will be incorporated in Tianjin, China, which is the third largest city in China. The new company is structured as a Sino-Foreign Equity Joint Venture and seeks to develop and commercialize a variety of products including pharmaceutical, functional foods, and nutraceuticals for China and the world. They will globally develop and further the plant-based protein, high-value oils and drug manufacturing technology.
In 2007, SemBioSys formed a subsidiary, Botaneco Specialty Ingredients Inc., dedicated to the commercialization of SemBioSys’ natural oilbody products for cosmetic, personal care
and prescription topical dermatology products. Botaneco produces, markets, and sells its products under the brand name Hydresia(TM). In October 2009, Botaneco merged with Quebec Ciy-based Advitech, a health sciences and technology company with a mission to discover and commercialize proprietary and evidence-based natural health products.
Currently, SemBioSys is using the safflower
plant to develop efficient and low cost production of high-value pharmaceutical proteins – biosimilar insulin
and Apo AI(Milano)
.
Insulin is used to maintain blood sugar levels in patients with type I and type II diabetes. In a phase I/II clinical trial, SemBioSys demonstrated that its safflower produced insulin (SBS-1000) is bioequivalent to Humulin
(R), a commercially available insulin. SBS-1000 is under clinical development and is regulated as a biosimilar in Europe. The demand for insulin is expected to increase as the world’s population increases and more people are diagnosed with diabetes. Since the current methods of insulin production require vast investments in capital, goods and equipment, there is a compelling need for more efficient production methodologies of insulin and SemBioSys is ready to meet this demand.
Apo AI (Milano) is a new chemical entity and prospective next generation cardiovascular therapy with blockbuster revenue potential is approved for the treatment of atherosclerosis
. Apo AI (Milano) is a variant of Apo AI, the major lipoprotein associated with high density lipoportein (HDL) or good cholesterol. SemBioSys is developing Apo AI (Milano) to reduce and stabilize vascular plaques (see atherosclerosis
) associated with Acute Coronary Syndrome
(ACS) and stroke
indications.
A University of Calgary
spin-off (1994), SemBioSys is a publicly held firm. Investors have included Bay City Capital, the Business Development Bank of Canada
, Dow AgroSciences
(a Canadian subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company
), Royal Bank Ventures Inc. (now RBC Capital Partners), the University of Calgary, Ventures West Capital Ltd., and Dr. Maurice Moloney.
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
company. It utilizes its renewable, patented plant seed-based oil body, and genetic expression technology platforms to develop and make high-value proteins and oils in oil seed producing plant species. The high-value proteins and oils are for the nutraceutical
Nutraceutical
Nutraceutical, a portmanteau of the words “nutrition” and “pharmaceutical”, is a food or food product that reportedly provides health and medical benefits, including the prevention and treatment of disease. Health Canada defines the term as "a product isolated or purified from foods that is...
, functional food
Functional food
Functional food is a food where a new ingredient has been added to a food and the new product has a new function ....
and beverage
Functional beverage
A functional beverage can be defined as a drink product that is non-alcoholic, ready to drink and includes in its formulation non-traditional ingredients. This includes herbs, vitamins, minerals, amino acids or additional raw fruit or vegetable ingredients, so as to provide specific health...
, and pharmaceutical industries. SemBioSys’ seed-based protein and oil expression system can enable exceptionally low cost of production with unprecedented scalability and reliability. The company's strategy is to partner with other companies to enable the commercialization of products that might not otherwise be commercially viable because of high production and/or manufacturing costs. Further, SemBioSys is leveraging its platform through global partnerships to develop a variety of health and wellness, and healthy living products ranging from pharmaceuticals, functional foods ingredients, enzymes, and high-value and industrial oils, all with large addressable markets. In conjunction with its current partners, the company has developed nutritional oils, and ingredients for all natural cosmetics and food enzymes.
In October 2011, SemBioSys signed a product and platform development collaboration agreement with Tasly Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. of Tianjin, China and its wholly owned subsidiary Tasly U.S.. Tasly is one of China’s largest pharmaceutical companies and is China’s second largest producer of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), which are derived from plants. Upon government approval, a new company called Tasly-SemBioSys Bio-Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. will be incorporated in Tianjin, China, which is the third largest city in China. The new company is structured as a Sino-Foreign Equity Joint Venture and seeks to develop and commercialize a variety of products including pharmaceutical, functional foods, and nutraceuticals for China and the world. They will globally develop and further the plant-based protein, high-value oils and drug manufacturing technology.
In 2007, SemBioSys formed a subsidiary, Botaneco Specialty Ingredients Inc., dedicated to the commercialization of SemBioSys’ natural oilbody products for cosmetic, personal care
Personal care
Personal care or toiletries is the industry which manufactures consumer products used for beautification and in personal hygiene.-Subsectors:Subsectors of personal care include cosmetics and feminine hygiene....
and prescription topical dermatology products. Botaneco produces, markets, and sells its products under the brand name Hydresia(TM). In October 2009, Botaneco merged with Quebec Ciy-based Advitech, a health sciences and technology company with a mission to discover and commercialize proprietary and evidence-based natural health products.
Currently, SemBioSys is using the safflower
Safflower
Safflower is a highly branched, herbaceous, thistle-like annual. It is commercially cultivated for vegetable oil extracted from the seeds. Plants are 30 to 150 cm tall with globular flower heads having yellow, orange or red flowers. Each branch will usually have from one to five flower heads...
plant to develop efficient and low cost production of high-value pharmaceutical proteins – biosimilar insulin
Insulin
Insulin is a hormone central to regulating carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body. Insulin causes cells in the liver, muscle, and fat tissue to take up glucose from the blood, storing it as glycogen in the liver and muscle....
and Apo AI(Milano)
ApoA-1 Milano
ApoA-1 Milano is a naturally occurring mutated variant of the apolipoprotein A1 protein found in human HDL, the lipoprotein particle that carries cholesterol from tissues to the liver and is associated with protection against cardiovascular disease. ApoA1 Milano was first identified by Dr...
.
Insulin is used to maintain blood sugar levels in patients with type I and type II diabetes. In a phase I/II clinical trial, SemBioSys demonstrated that its safflower produced insulin (SBS-1000) is bioequivalent to Humulin
Humulin
Humulin is the brand name for a group of biosynthetic human insulin products, originally developed by Genentech in 1978 and later acquired by Eli Lilly and Company, the company who arguably facilitated...
(R), a commercially available insulin. SBS-1000 is under clinical development and is regulated as a biosimilar in Europe. The demand for insulin is expected to increase as the world’s population increases and more people are diagnosed with diabetes. Since the current methods of insulin production require vast investments in capital, goods and equipment, there is a compelling need for more efficient production methodologies of insulin and SemBioSys is ready to meet this demand.
Apo AI (Milano) is a new chemical entity and prospective next generation cardiovascular therapy with blockbuster revenue potential is approved for the treatment of atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis is a condition in which an artery wall thickens as a result of the accumulation of fatty materials such as cholesterol...
. Apo AI (Milano) is a variant of Apo AI, the major lipoprotein associated with high density lipoportein (HDL) or good cholesterol. SemBioSys is developing Apo AI (Milano) to reduce and stabilize vascular plaques (see atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis is a condition in which an artery wall thickens as a result of the accumulation of fatty materials such as cholesterol...
) associated with Acute Coronary Syndrome
Acute coronary syndrome
Acute coronary syndrome is usually one of three diseases involving the coronary arteries: ST elevation myocardial infarction , non ST elevation myocardial infarction , or unstable angina ....
(ACS) and stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
indications.
A University of Calgary
University of Calgary
The University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
spin-off (1994), SemBioSys is a publicly held firm. Investors have included Bay City Capital, the Business Development Bank of Canada
Business Development Bank of Canada
The Business Development Bank of Canada is a crown corporation financial institution wholly owned by the Government of Canada. BDC plays a leadership role in delivering financial and consulting services to Canadian small business, with a particular focus on technology and exporting.BDC's debt...
, Dow AgroSciences
Dow AgroSciences
Dow AgroSciences LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Dow Chemical Company specializing in not only agricultural chemicals such as pesticides, but also seeds and biotechnology solutions. The company is based in Indianapolis, Indiana, in the United States...
(a Canadian subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company
Dow Chemical Company
The Dow Chemical Company is a multinational corporation headquartered in Midland, Michigan, United States. As of 2007, it is the second largest chemical manufacturer in the world by revenue and as of February 2009, the third-largest chemical company in the world by market capitalization .Dow...
), Royal Bank Ventures Inc. (now RBC Capital Partners), the University of Calgary, Ventures West Capital Ltd., and Dr. Maurice Moloney.