Biosource Technologies and SCRI Establish Plant Virus Research Collaboration and Cross-Licensing Agreement.

VACAVILLE, Calif.--(BW HealthWire)--Jan. 7, 1999--Biosource Technologies, Inc. (Biosource) announced today that it has entered into an exclusive research collaboration and cross-licensing agreement with the world-leading plant scientists at the Scottish Crop Research Institute (SCRI) and Mylnefield Research Services, Ltd. (MRS).

The three-year collaboration combines SCRI/MRS intellectual property, research capabilities and scientific resources with Biosource's pioneering plant viral vector technology and expertise in high-throughput production of antigens for vaccine research and development programs.

"The consolidation of the two leading plant viral technology intellectual property estates into one collaboration will address the preference of large pharmaceutical companies for working with a company having the clear and dominant leadership position," says Dr. Nigel Kerby, Managing Director of MRS.

The collaboration is organized into two phases. The first phase focuses on basic research of the fundamental properties of plant/viral interactions and the identification of specific immmunotherapeutic targets. The second phase will entail research services in support of Biosource's programs with leading pharmaceutical and animal health companies.

Professor John Hillman, Director of SCRI, expressed his delight at the agreement saying, "This will help consolidate SCRI's position as one of the world's premier centers for plant viral research and demonstrates our commitment to the exploitation of our core technologies."

"We will immediately add the existing SCRI technology to our high-throughput antigen production capability," said Robert Erwin, CEO of Biosource. "Over the next three years, we expect to expand the partnership with SCRI/MRS as new technologies are jointly developed and commercialized."

Biosource Technologies, Inc. is a fully integrated research-through-manufacturing enterprise which provides novel technologies to greatly improve the speed and productivity of life science product development programs.

In September, Biosource announced a three-year collaboration with the Dow Chemical Company and Dow AgroSciences LLC to create one of the world's largest plant functional genomic research programs dedicated to the discovery of gene-based agricultural and chemical products.

Biosource is headquartered in Vacaville, with manufacturing facilities in Owensboro, Ky. For more information about Biosource Technologies, Inc. visit their web site at www.biosource-technologies.com.

Scottish Crop Research Institute is one of the leading centers for plant virus research. The institute invented the OVERCOAT(R) viral coat-protein-fusion technology that uses a harmless plant virus to produce sample proteins for vaccine, immunotherapeutic protein and industrial enzyme research and development.

Mylnefield Research Services, Ltd. was incorporated in 1989 as the commercial arm of SCRI. Primarily set up to market products, intellectual property and expertise, MRS places particular emphasis on developing partnerships and forging strong relationships with customers.