Techniclone International Signs for Hybrid Venture

Seeds of Tomorrow, a seed distributor in Davis, has signed a joint venture with Techniclone International Corp., a Santa Ana-based biotechnology company, for the use of Techniclone’s electrogene process that may ultimately develop new hybrids of tomatoes and cotton.

Techniclone International Corp., a five-year-old company, developed the electrogene process, which introduces genes into other cells electrically, about two years ago. It is intended to produce human monoclonal antibodies--protein that fights off diseases in animals, said Lon Stone, Techniclone’s chief executive officer.

Under the joint venture, Seeds of Tomorrow will use the electrogene process to develop new varieties of tomatoes and cotton, Stone said.

Details of the agreement were not disclosed. Techniclone has filed for a patent for the electrogene process in the human monoclonal antibodies field.