Key Takeaways
- Nexus Agriscience has acquired the hemp division and intellectual property portfolio of Biotech Institute.
- The transaction internalizes core genetics, germplasm, and research capabilities within Nexus Agriscience.
- The acquired IP enables predictable expression of high-value terpene compounds in hemp.
- The move strengthens the company's molecular farming platform for flavor, fragrance, and functional ingredients.
- Biotech Institute leadership and inventors will join the company in governance and technical roles.
Nexus Agriscience Strengthens Molecular Farming Platform Through Strategic Acquisition
Nexus Agriscience, a molecular farming company focused on plant-based solutions for flavor, fragrance, and functional ingredient markets, has acquired the hemp division of cannabis intellectual property firm Biotech Institute. The transaction expands Nexus Agriscience’s molecular farming platform by bringing critical genetics and research capabilities in-house.
The acquisition includes a portfolio of issued and pending utility and plant patents, proprietary germplasm, seed inventory, living plant materials, and associated technical expertise. According to the company, the portfolio protects genetic pathways that allow for predictable expression of high-value compounds across key terpene classes found in the cannabis genome.
Nexus Agriscience Advances Predictable Plant-Based Ingredient Production
By internalizing these assets, Nexus Agriscience aims to accelerate product development while maintaining a capital-efficient and scalable production model.
“This acquisition expands our platform and removes critical constraints,” said Shareef El-Sissi, CEO of Nexus Agriscience. “By bringing core genetics and R&D in-house, we can move faster into new markets while maintaining the capital efficiency and scalability that define our approach.”
The company operates at the intersection of precision agriculture, plant science, and commercial manufacturing, serving markets for natural ingredients used in food, beverage, fragrance, and functional applications.
Molecular Farming as an Alternative to Precision Fermentation
Nexus Agriscience positions its hemp-based molecular farming approach as an alternative to precision fermentation. Unlike fermentation systems that rely on bioreactors and controlled infrastructure, the company’s platform has already been deployed at hundreds-of-acres scale. This model is designed to enable faster deployment, lower capital requirements, and greater responsiveness to market demand.
“Hemp is an extraordinarily powerful biosynthetic platform when engineered with precision,” said Dr. Mark Lewis, one of the inventors on the acquired patents. “This portfolio distills years of genomic, chemical, and breeding work into predictable expression of high-value compounds.”
Nexus Agriscience produces non-cannabinoid, hemp-derived natural ingredients and maintains vertical control from genetics through downstream processing.
Nexus Agriscience Integrates Talent and Governance Following Transaction
As part of the acquisition, Biotech Institute’s hemp-related operations and intellectual property have been fully integrated. Gary Hiller of Biotech Institute will join the company’s board of directors, while Dr. Mark Lewis and Steven Haba will join Nexus Agriscience to lead genetic development and operational execution.
The company stated that the acquisition supports its long-term strategy to scale molecular farming as a commercially viable pathway for producing complex natural compounds across multiple global markets.
