22^nd Century Group has obtained approval from the US Patent Office for technology to regulate nicotine content in tobacco without genetically modifying plants, the company said.

“No foreign genes to the tobacco plant are present in the resulting tobacco. Such plants are not considered to be genetically modified in the United States and certain other countries,” 22^nd Century said.
National Research Council Canada (NRC) Plant Biotechnology Institute is where the technology was developed. 22^nd Century funded the research and is NRC’s exclusive worldwide licensee, the company said. Notice of Approval for Patent Application 13/464,212 means the patent for what 22^nd Century said is part of its second generation technology for nicotine content modification will be issued in the next few months.