美国Maxygen 
DNA改组技术的发明人Stemmer博士，他以5项美国专利为技术支撑点，于1997年创立了专门从事DNA改组研究的公司Maxygen。公司刚刚建立，世界上几家最大的公司纷纷与之洽谈并建立了合作关系。这些公司包括最大的农业公司 duPont公司、生产抗生素的世界巨头 DSM公司和工业酶研究生产之最的Novo nordisk公司。此外，迄今为止，Maxygen公司还得到了来自美国国防高级研究计划局(DARPA)和国家科学技术协会(NIST)的5项资助，共计2100万美元。这也从另一角度反映了DNA改组的重要性及美国政府及商家对DNA改组技术的重视程度。

Maxygen is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing improved versions of protein drugs through both internal development and external collaborations and other arrangements. We use our MolecularBreeding™ directed evolution technology platform, along with ancillary technologies, and extensive protein modification expertise to pursue the creation of biosuperior proteins.

In 1997, Maxygen was founded on the observation that nature has a powerful means of improving upon previous generations through the iterative process of evolution and breeding. We have industrialized this evolutionary process by developing a series of technologies designed to improve specific properties of genes and proteins to create more effective therapies to treat disease.

In September 2009, we consummated a joint venture arrangement with Astellas Pharma, Inc. pursuant to which we contributed substantially all of our programs and technology assets in protein pharmaceuticals, including our MAXY-4 co-development and commercialization agreement with Astellas, together with $10 million in cash, to Perseid Therapeutics LLC, a newly-formed subsidiary in which we have an ownership interest of approximately 83.3%. Astellas also invested $10 million in Perseid in exchange for the remaining ownership interest of approximately 16.7%. As part of the joint venture arrangement, Astellas has been granted an option to acquire all of our ownership interest in Perseid at specified exercise prices that increase each quarter from $53 million to $123 million over the three-year term of the option.

The consummation of the joint venture transaction largely completes a multi-year strategic process to position our programs and assets in collaborations and other arrangements that are primarily supported by external parties. In addition to our majority ownership of Perseid, we will continue to retain a number of significant assets, including substantial cash resources; our MAXY-G34 program (including the previously announced licensing arrangement with Cangene Corporation for Acute Radiation Syndrome); an ownership interest in Codexis, Inc. and a revenue stream from Maxygen’s biofuels license to Codexis; a potential million milestone payment from Bayer HealthCare LLC; our MolecularBreeding™ platform and intellectual property portfolio (including certain additional fields of application of the technology platform not yet licensed); and a fully funded vaccine discovery program. Going forward, our focus will be to manage these arrangements to maximize the return to our stockholders over the next several years.