GTG supplies non-coding patents to NZ’s Ovita

Melbourne gene-test company Genetic Technologies (ASX:GTG) has granted a license to New Zealand agbiotech company Ovita Limited to apply GTG’s non-coding DNA patents to its own internal activities.

In an announcement today, GTG said the license would allow the Dunedin company to use the gene-testing technology both for its in-house research, and future commercial activities.

Ovita will pay GTG an up-front signing fee and royalties on future sales.

The Ovita license is the second GTG has granted in New Zealand. GTG’s executive chairman Dr Merv Jacobson said GTG will support the growth and future success of Ovita by offering similar licenses to Ovita’s research partners and commercial collaborators.

Jacobson said GTG stood ready to offer its assistance and technology to other New Zealand organisations to support the efficiency and quality of the country’s agricultural output.

Last month GTG subsidiary AgGenomics signed a contract with Ovita to provide genetic testing services on DNA samples from Australian and New Zealand sheep, through its high-throughput DNA-testing laboratory at Melbourne’s La Trobe University.