Demeetra Cements Gene-Editing Lead with Hera BioLabs Acquisition

LEXINGTON, KY – January 29, 2026 – Demeetra AgBio, a genome engineering firm, has finalized its acquisition and full integration of Hera BioLabs, a strategic move that consolidates control over a powerful gene-editing tool and promises to reshape the landscape for cell and gene therapy development. The transaction, completed last June, positions Demeetra as the exclusive commercial source for the hyperactive Super piggyBac® transposase platform, resolving long-standing intellectual property ambiguities that have historically slowed its adoption.

This acquisition marks a pivotal moment for companies operating in the biomanufacturing and therapeutic development sectors. By creating a single, clear licensing pathway for Super piggyBac, Demeetra aims to unlock the full potential of a technology prized for its ability to efficiently insert large genetic payloads into cells without using viral vectors.

A Power Play in the Gene-Editing IP Arena

The world of gene editing is notoriously fraught with complex and costly intellectual property disputes. The battle over foundational patents for CRISPR-Cas9 technology, waged between institutions like the Broad Institute and the University of California, has created a minefield of uncertainty for companies seeking to commercialize new therapies. This environment has made freedom-to-operate a paramount concern for biotech innovators and investors alike.

Demeetra's acquisition of Hera BioLabs is a direct response to this challenge. By bringing the Super piggyBac platform entirely in-house, Demeetra eliminates the fragmented licensing environment that previously surrounded the technology. Hera BioLabs, which itself was formed through a merger with Transposagen Biopharmaceuticals in 2018, previously managed commercial and academic licenses for the underlying piggyBac transposon. Now, Demeetra holds the definitive rights, protected by a portfolio of U.S. and international patents.

“Following the acquisition of Hera BioLabs, Demeetra is now the definitive source for hyperactive Super piggyBac licensing, in drug discovery and development, and research tools and services,” said Jack Crawford, CEO of Demeetra, in a recent announcement. “This clarity matters. Researchers and product developers can act with confidence knowing they have a clean, well-defined IP foundation with expanded rights and long-term freedom to operate.”

This move mirrors Demeetra's broader strategy of offering high-performance tools with clear IP lineage. The company has previously positioned its Cas-CLOVER gene-editing system as a “clean alternative to CRISPR/Cas9,” explicitly marketing its freedom from the IP entanglements of its more famous rival. By securing Super piggyBac, Demeetra further solidifies its reputation as a provider of powerful, commercially viable genome engineering solutions.

Super piggyBac: The Non-Viral Workhorse for Next-Gen Therapies

At the heart of the acquisition is the Super piggyBac transposase system, a proprietary technology engineered for superior performance. Transposons, often called “jumping genes,” are mobile genetic elements that can be harnessed to insert new genes—or transgenes—into a host cell’s genome. The piggyBac system is favored for its ability to carry very large genetic cargoes and for its tendency to integrate into the genome in a way that is generally considered safe and stable.

The “Super” version developed through protein engineering significantly enhances the efficiency of this process. Compared to the naturally occurring wild-type piggyBac, Super piggyBac delivers higher integration efficiency and can insert more copies of a transgene into a cell. This results in more robust and uniformly engineered cell populations, a critical requirement for manufacturing cell therapies where consistency is key.

Crucially, Super piggyBac is a non-viral system. While viral vectors like lentiviruses have been the standard for gene delivery, they come with manufacturing complexities, potential safety concerns related to immune responses, and limitations on the size of the genetic payload they can carry. Non-viral alternatives like Super piggyBac bypass many of these issues, offering a potentially safer, more scalable, and more versatile method for engineering cells. Its performance has been validated across numerous mammalian systems, including the primary human cells used in cutting-edge cell and gene therapy research.

A Calculated Step in Demeetra’s Strategic Ascent

The acquisition is far from an opportunistic purchase; it represents a calculated step in Demeetra AgBio’s strategic growth. The company was founded in 2019 as a spin-out of Transposagen, with CEO Jack Crawford having deep roots in the development of piggyBac technology. The relationship between the entities has been close, with Demeetra and Hera BioLabs having previously collaborated on the joint launch of the Cas-CLOVER system in 2020.

With the integration of Hera BioLabs, Demeetra is not only acquiring IP but also sharpening its operational focus. Hera’s in vitro services and expertise are being folded into Demeetra's internal R&D operations. This move is expected to accelerate the development of Demeetra’s other core platforms, particularly its CleanCut CHO Platform, which provides engineered host cells optimized for the commercial bioprocessing of complex proteins and antibodies.

Conversely, Hera BioLabs’ in vivo services group, which focused on creating and testing on rodent models, is being wound down. This decision signals Demeetra's clear intent to concentrate on its core mission: developing and licensing scalable genome engineering platforms rather than operating as a contract research organization (CRO). This strategic pivot leverages the most valuable assets of Hera—its technology rights and cell-based expertise—while shedding business units that fall outside Demeetra’s long-term vision.

By consolidating these assets, Demeetra strengthens its integrated technology stack, which now offers solutions for nearly every step of the cell line development workflow. From the license-free Harbor-IN transposase for early-stage research to the high-performance Cas-CLOVER and Super piggyBac systems for therapeutic and commercial applications, the company is positioning itself as a one-stop shop for advanced biomanufacturing tools.

For companies in the biopharma space, this consolidation simplifies the path from the research bench to the clinic. Demeetra has announced it will offer flexible licensing models for Super piggyBac, tailored for uses ranging from academic research and large-scale screening to the development of commercial diagnostics and regulated cell therapies. By removing the historical barriers of IP uncertainty, Demeetra is betting that the market is ready to fully embrace the power of transposon-based gene editing. Evaluation kits and technical resources are being made available to companies eager to explore the platform’s potential.