A Mississauga company has applied for patent protection on technology it says will make livestock semen sexing more cost-effective for breeders.
Microbix Biosystems said in a release Thursday that it will now move toward commercializing its new technology.
The company said its work “should provide a more cost-effective platform for semen sexing and significantly improve yields and quality of the sperm produced compared to the current commercial sexing technology.”
The company said in April that its new platform marks a “significant departure” from other methods.
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Citing those factors in its favour, Microbix said it believes it can effectively penetrate and even expand the $3 billion market for artificial insemination technologies.
Semen sexing is “instrumental” to dairy cattle breeders looking to provide female offspring and avoid dairy bull calves that must be sold for relatively “negligible” value, the company said.
“This market is attractive for its size and the absence of regulatory barriers, and importantly, our technology offers a predictable pathway through development to market,” CEO William Gastle said.
The company said it would focus on finding a strategic partner to bring its technology to the market now that it’s secured its intellectual property. Patent protection, when granted, is retroactive to the day of filing.
