At this time, VSV-G, Lyssavirus (a subset of SARS-CoV-1), and select other plasmids in our catalog have been identified as having a “dual use technology” or having both commercial and military or proliferation applications.
This determination was made by the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”), in conjunction with The Australia Group (an international consortium that seeks to ensure that member countries’ exports do not contribute to the development of chemical or biological weapons). Therefore these plasmids cannot be exported without first obtaining an export license from the applicable regulatory body, in Addgene’s case, BIS.
Notwithstanding the “dual use” classification, many countries have a license exception. In such cases, an export license will likely not be necessary. Please log in to your Addgene account to confirm availability in your country.
What to know about ordering an export-controlled material
- If a license is required for your country, a non-refundable export license fee will be added to your order to cover Addgene’s additional processing costs.
- During the checkout process, you will be asked to write a paragraph describing how you intend to use the material. Please be as specific as possible, as your answer will be used by BIS to determine whether an export license will be granted.
- Your order will remain on hold until a license has been granted. The BIS export license application and review process generally takes 4-5 weeks. Addgene does not have control over whether a license is granted, but we have experienced a high success rate with the applications we have received.
- Due to export license restrictions, rewards points and promotion codes cannot be applied towards orders containing export-controlled materials. If you plan to order non-controlled materials, we recommend that you place a separate order to avoid export-related delays.