Gene Shears

Gene Shears was a pioneering Australian biotechnology company founded in 1989 to commercialize "ribozyme" technology discovered by scientists at the CSIRO. The company operated as a high-profile joint venture between CSIRO, the French seed group Limagrain, and later Johnson & Johnson, focusing on using catalytic RNA molecules to "cut" and silence specific genetic sequences. Its primary therapeutic efforts were directed at treating HIV/AIDS through gene-modified cell therapies, while its agricultural division sought to develop crops with improved traits. Although the company successfully advanced a ribozyme-based therapy into Phase 1 clinical trials, it was eventually acquired fully by Johnson & Johnson in 1999 and later wound up as the field of RNA therapeutics transitioned toward RNA interference (RNAi) and other modalities.