Agritope announces collaboration to develop new compounds for improving plant growth.

Agritope, Inc. (Portland, OR; 503-670-7702) has entered into a collaboration agreement with University Technologies International, Inc. (Calgary, Canada; 403-270-7027), the private technology commercialization company owned by the University of Calgary (Calgary, Canada), to evaluate and further develop certain novel compounds called brassinosteroids.

A specialist in the field of synthetic organic chemistry at the University of Calgary, Dr. Thomas G. Back, has discovered a unique technology for the synthesis of novel brassinosteroids with exceptionally high biological activity. Under terms of the collaboration, Dr. Back will synthesize compounds in his laboratory and deliver them to Agritope for evaluation and commercial development. Agritope recently filed a patent application covering Dr. Back's invention. The collaboration agreement grants Agritope an option to obtain an exclusive royalty-bearing license to commercialize the technology.

"Brassinosteroids are natural products found throughout the plant kingdom. They have been shown to stimulate the growth of plants when present at very low levels," said D. Ry Wagner, PhD, vice president, research of Agritope. "The most potent of these compounds, the brassinolides, show remarkable physiological activities such as increasing the yield of wheat and increasing the average weight of fruit at harvest." Dr. Wagner noted that the collaboration with University of Calgary is complementary to ongoing work at Agritope with two genes obtained from The Salk Institute for Biological Studies (La Jolla, CA) that also stimulate plant growth by increasing the production and perception of brassinolides in transgenic plants.

Geoff Moon, technology transfer manager for University Technologies International, said the collaboration agreement is a major step in what could be a significant advance in the agricultural industry. "Dr. Back is looking forward to working with Agritope in developing the full potential of this technology."

University Technologies is a private technology commercialization company wholly owned by the University of Calgary. It is mandated to identify, develop and commercialize research technologies from the University of Calgary and other research institutions. In its 10 years of operation, University Technologies has moved to the forefront of the technology commercialization industry.

Agritope is an agricultural biotechnology company that develops improved plant products and provides technology to the agricultural industry.