CODA Genomics Announces Issuance of Optimized Synthetic Gene Production Patent

 

Laguna Hills, CA, September 4, 2007  -
CODA Genomics, Inc., a pioneer in applying its namesake technology, (Computational Optimized DNA Assembly) towards the manufacture of synthetic genes and other DNA fragments, announced today that the US Patent and Trademark Office has issued US Patent 7,262,031 to its two founding scientists, University of California, Irvine (UCI) professors, Richard H. Lathrop and G. Wesley Hatfield. The technology was developed under a prestigious Information Technology Research grant from the National Science Foundation jointly in the School of Medicine and the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences at UCI. The Company has licensed this patent exclusively from the UCI's Office of Technology Assessment (OTA).

US Patent 7,262,031 entitled, “Method for Producing a Synthetic Gene or Other DNA Sequence,” teaches how to use a global (across all possible correct and incorrect gene assemblies) optimization method for the choice of DNA code to make a given protein. Properly chosen DNA enables the thermodynamically controlled self-assembly of only the desired DNA product(s). The synthetic gene is simultaneously optimized for many other parameters that affect the successful use of the gene to make protein efficiently in any desired biological system.

Robert J Molinari, Ph.D., CODA's CEO said, “This broad protection of CODA's breakthrough technology will allow the company to aggressively market its high-yielding Hot-RodTM genes, and other optimized gene variant sets. For the customer, it allows a scaleable way to test a large number of gene and protein variants for desirable properties.”

David Schetter, assistant Vice-chancellor, Research and Technology Alliances, at UCI adds "CODA has been one of UCI's first, successful examples of OTA's "Virtual Incubation" model where early stage technology is licensed to a start-up company and the technology is incubated in the University by way of a series of standard agreements for research, technology development and access to UCI's facilities and equipment. All of these agreements are negotiated at arm's length and meet the university's standards for proper use of university facilities and mitigation of conflicts of interest. As a result, the University gains additional resources and a role in ensuring the success of the technology while the company does not incur premature and expensive spin-out costs. Additionally, with more well developed and proven technology, the company is better able to raise required capital to move to its non-virtual stage."

About CODA Genomics, Inc.
CODA Genomics, Inc. is a protein Translation Engineering company focused on proprietary patented approaches to express proteins in a variety of organisms. This unique technology enables synthetic biology to solve many protein expression problems. For more CODA information, visit www.codagenomics.com.