30 April 2025
Genus plc ("Genus" or the "Group")
PRRS Resistant Pig - FDA Approval
Genus (LSE: GNS), a leading global animal genetics company, announces the following update in relation to its innovative PRRS1 Resistant Pig ("PRP") programme.
Genus is pleased to announce that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") has approved the PRP gene edit for use in the U.S. food supply chain, in line with expectations. This landmark approval follows years of close collaboration with the FDA and is a significant step on the pathway to PRP commercialisation in the U.S.. Genus believes successful U.S. commercialisation also requires approvals in key U.S. export markets, being Mexico, Canada and Japan. The Group continues to make progress with regulators in these jurisdictions as well as with other international regulators, including China.
Brazil, Colombia and, more recently, the Dominican Republic have already issued positive determinations for PRP, meaning those countries will regulate the PRP the same as any other pigs.
PRRS is one of the most devastating global pig diseases and causes suffering and premature death for pigs. Recent research indicates that PRRS also increases the need for antibiotics by more than 200%2.
"We have spent years conducting extensive research, validating our findings and working with the FDA to gain approval" said Matt Culbertson, Genus PIC's Chief Operating Officer. "Today marks a major milestone for the pork industry."
"FDA approval is a fantastic achievement for Genus PIC and represents a major step towards U.S. commercialisation. We will now continue to pursue regulatory approvals in other international jurisdictions with a focus on key U.S. export markets" said Jorgen Kokke, Genus's Chief Executive Officer.
For further information please contact:
Genus plc Tel: +44 125 634 5970
Jorgen Kokke, Chief Executive Officer
Alison Henriksen, Chief Financial Officer
Anand Date, Investor Relations & Sustainability Director
Burson Buchanan Tel: +44 207 466 5000
Charles Ryland; Toto Berger; Sophie Wills; Verity Parker
About Genus
Genus is a world-leading animal genetics company. Genus creates advances in animal breeding and genetic improvement by applying biotechnology and sells added value products for livestock farming and food producers. Its technology is applicable across livestock species and is currently commercialised by Genus in the dairy, beef and pork food production sectors.
Genus's worldwide sales are made in over seventy-five countries under the trademarks 'ABS' (dairy and beef cattle) and 'PIC' (pigs) and comprise semen, embryos and breeding animals with superior genetics to those animals currently in farms. Genus's customers' animals produce offspring with greater production efficiency, and quality, and use these to supply the global dairy and meat supply chains.
The Group's competitive edge has been created from the ownership and control of proprietary lines of breeding animals, the biotechnology used to improve them and its global supply chain, technical service and sales and distribution network. The PRP is a market leading innovation in gene editing, which Genus is looking to commercialise in the porcine industry once regulatory approval is gained.
With headquarters in Basingstoke, United Kingdom, Genus companies operate in over twenty-five countries on six continents, with research laboratories located in Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
1 Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome
2 Assessment of changes in antibiotic use in grow-finish pigs after the introduction of PRRSV in a naïve farrow-to-finish system (Machado et al, Iowa State University, 2023)
RNS may use your IP address to confirm compliance with the terms and conditions, to analyse how you engage with the information contained in this communication, and to share such analysis on an anonymised basis with others as part of our commercial services. For further information about how RNS and the London Stock Exchange use the personal data you provide us, please see our Privacy Policy.