BIS Still Mulling Proposed Controls on Automated Peptide Synthesizers

March 28, 2024 by Ian Cohen|Export Controls

The Bureau of Industry and Security hasn't yet made a decision on whether to move forward with export controls on automated peptide synthesizers after proposing the restrictions in April last year (see 2304190060), a Commerce Department official said this week.

The proposal has “been out and it’s been discussed,” but the agency hasn’t yet set a “date that this is going to become effective,” said the official, speaking on background March 27 under a policy for certain career personnel at the BIS annual Update Conference. "We're looking at it."

BIS proposed the controls because it said the synthesizers may be used to produce biological weapons. Several U.S. companies told the agency new license requirements would only hurt U.S. technological leadership and wouldn't do much to limit the proliferation of biological weapons (see 2211080020).