ANN ARBOR Kraig Biocraft Laboratories Inc. (OTC: KBLB) announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Institute of Biotechnology – Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology and the Vietnam Sericulture Research Centre to import and raise Kraig’s genetically engineered silkworms in Vietnam.
the company said the agreement provides a location, skilled workers, security, and necessary oversight, for the company to import and begin testing its first batch of recombinant spider silk silkworm eggs in Vietnam.
Under this agreement, the VSRC will provide professional manpower for hatching, caring and nurturing of the silkworms, while IoB-VAST will provide a secure location to receive, store, and preserve the company’s transgenic silkworms, in accordance with Vietnam’s regulations.
The previously reported authorizations, from key Vietnamese central government ministries, established guidelines for the importation of the Company’s transgenic silkworms. In addition to leveraging the expertise and capacities of IoB-VAST and VSRC, this agreement provides the structure and regulatory compliance to address those regulatory requirements.
The company is now preparing to send key team members, including production staff, to accompany the first batch of transgenic silkworm eggs on their trip from Kraig Labs’ headquarters to Vietnam.
Kraig founder and CEO Kim Thompson said the company will now begin “work that we believe will revolutionize silk production and make significant impacts on consumer products.”
Kraig has created silkworms that have had spider genes inserted into their genome — meaning they produce silk in their cocoons that have many of the super-strong properties of spiderweb fibers. The fibers are intended for production into highly advanced fabrics.
For more about Kraig Labs, visit www.KraigLabs.com/newsletter.