U.S. cigarette maker in IP deal

U.S. cigarette maker 22nd Century Group, Inc. said it entered an agreement to use human cell-based testing from CannaMetrix, LLC, Henrietta, New York, as it looks to expand its line of cannabis products and intellectual property. 22nd Century said it has realigned its cannabis strategy to target upstream segments of the cannabinoid value chain after having secured four out of five key partnerships needed to maximize its position in the sector; the company now has partners in plant profiling, biotechnology, cultivation and extraction, and is looking to establish relationships with plant breeders.