22nd Century Group has licensed several new non-GMO, Very Low Nicotine (VLN) flue-cured and burley tobacco varieties, the plant biotechnology company said.
Licensed exclusively from North Carolina State University, 22nd Century said the new tobacco varieties are already available commercially and are the result of multiple generations of plantings that have yielded stable and “true-breeding” crop lines of VLN tobacco plants, the company said in a press release.
Non-GMO tobaccos do not contain foreign genetic material and 22nd Century said the flue-cured and burley tobaccos will complement its existing VLN technologies.
“The results of this transaction with our research partner, NCSU, meaningfully enhances 22nd Century’s already impressive intellectual property portfolio. Importantly, our new plants and their genetics provide the company with an excellent molecular background for improved taste characteristics and enhanced agronomic performance,” Dr Juan Tamburrino, vice president of research and development at the company, commented.