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The idea that culminated in the founding of Chlorogen in 2002 began in the mid 1980s when molecular biologist and professor Dr. Henry Daniell became interested in the developing field of plant biotechnology. While he recognized the tremendous potential for plants to produce beneficial novel proteins for foods, medicines and industrial uses, he questioned whether there was a risk that foreign genes inserted into the nucleus of plant cells could "escape" through pollen to conventional crops or other plants in the environment. It was believed that chloroplasts, the components of cells that carry out photosynthesis, were inherited maternally. If so, this would mean that novel genes introduced into the chloroplast genome of cells would not be transmitted via pollen. He began studying chloroplasts and researched ways to introduce new genes into chloroplast DNA. At the same time, Dr. Pal Maliga, a professor at Rutgers University, was also studying chloroplast transformation to improve plants for the same uses described above. They discovered sections of DNA that, when attached to a gene from another source, cause that gene to express novel proteins in the chloroplasts. This genetic sequence is called a "regulatory signal" because it regulates the activity of the newly introduced genes. It instructs the attached genes to produce proteins in the chloroplasts and only in the chloroplasts. Their continued research confirmed that chloroplasts are inherited maternally in nearly every significant crop, a finding that has generated considerable interest in chloroplast transformation technology (CTT™) as an environmental improvement over cell nucleus transformation. Patents are filed Both scientists applied for multiple patents related to the chloroplast technology, with the first patent being filed by Dr. Daniell in September 1988 when he was on the faculty of Washington State University. Several other patents were awarded while he was on the faculty of Auburn University and the University of Central Florida. These are the oldest and dominant patents in this field today. Dr. Maliga's first patent was filed in May 1990 and was followed by many more patent applications - all while on staff at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. Chlorogen now has exclusive rights to all of these patents. Discovery of the gene gun enables chloroplast transformation Discovering the regulatory signals was only part of the challenge. There had to be a way to introduce the signal and foreign genes into functioning plant cells. The invention of the gene gun in 1987 provided the solution. This invention enabled scientists to introduce foreign DNA into the cells of plants by shooting tiny metal particles coated with foreign genes into sections of plant leaves. The regulatory signal patented by Drs. Daniell and Maliga instructs the bombarded gene to function only in the chloroplasts. If it is shot into the nucleus or other parts of the cell, transformation does not occur. Funding enables continued research and discoveries With a method of introducing DNA into chloroplasts, both scientists began seeking funding to further refine the technology. Government grants and private funding allowed continued research with a number of different genes in a variety of crops, including tobacco, which has become the main crop of interest at Chlorogen. Dr. Daniell seeks commercialization Having demonstrated proof that proteins can be expressed in a wide range of plants through chloroplast transformation, Dr. Daniell began to seek ways to have his technology applied to produce viable products. In 2001, Emerging Technology Partners, an Alabama venture fund, worked with Dr. Daniell to create Chlorogen Inc., as an early-stage start-up company. The new Chlorogen is established in 2003 In 2003, the early-stage Chlorogen raised $5.8 million in Series A funding from a group of venture capitalists. Dr. David N. Duncan was named CEO of Chlorogen, and board members were appointed. Chlorogen relocated to St. Louis and leased state-of-the-art research space at the Nidus Center for Scientific Enterprise, a biotechnology incubator, which has provided expertise and support to Chlorogen. The new Chlorogen was now on track to develop an efficient and economical system for making proteins in plants and purifying them for use as pharmaceuticals.
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