ST. LOUIS and DURHAM, N.C., Jan. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- As farmers
look to get more out of each acre of farmland, St. Louis-based Monsanto
(NYSE: MON) is exploring unique ways to discover and deliver more desirable
traits through the seed. Monsanto's new collaboration with GrassRoots
Biotechnology Inc. is expected to do just that by expanding the benefits of
Monsanto's research and product portfolio for its farmer customer.
Today, Monsanto announced that it has established a three-year
collaboration with GrassRoots Biotechnology Inc., based in Research Triangle
Park, North Carolina, to source novel genetic elements, including promoters
and genes, which can enable crops to express traits that enhance and protect
yield.
Promoters are segments of DNA that determine when and where a trait is
expressed within a plant. Monsanto will use the promoters sourced from
GrassRoots in a broad range of crops, including corn, soy, cotton and canola,
to optimize an array of biotechnology traits.
GrassRoots is a start-up company co-founded by Duke University professor,
Philip Benfey, a leader in plant biology research. GrassRoots uses a variety
of methods, including computational approaches, to identify promoter
candidates. Once specific promoter sequences are identified, the information
can be further used to design novel promoters for the expression of desirable
traits in plants.
"The availability of high-quality promoters with specific expression
patterns for use in commercial products is limited, so there is value in
developing novel promoters to drive new traits," said Steve Padgette, vice
president of biotechnology for Monsanto.
"A robust promoter toolbox can further leverage Monsanto's extensive gene
library and lead to the development of more biotechnology-based crop products
with a greater number of characteristics such as higher yield, and tolerance
to insects, weeds and other stresses," Padgette said.
Such tools will be critical in helping Monsanto meet its sustainability
goal of doubling yields in core crops by 2030, he said.
"We will need to use the best technologies available to maximize the
potential of these crops," Padgette said.
Another goal of the collaboration is to identify genes that help plants
fight environmental stresses such as nitrogen deficiency. The collaboration is
expected to build upon Monsanto's research philosophy of developing valuable
families of technologies for the challenges farmers routinely face on farm.
"We are excited to form an alliance with Monsanto," said Philip Benfey,
president and chief executive of GrassRoots. "Our technologies and expertise
combined with Monsanto's commercialization pipeline will provide a means of
rapidly moving new genes and promoters into the field."
About Monsanto Company
Monsanto Company is a leading global provider of technology-based
solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food
quality. Monsanto remains focused on enabling both small-holder and large-
scale farmers to produce more from their land while conserving more of our
world's natural resources such as water and energy. To learn more about our
business and our commitments, please visit: www.monsanto.com .
About GrassRoots Biotechnology
GrassRoots Biotechnology, Inc. is a start-up company based in Research
Triangle Park, NC. The company was founded to advance and commercialize
technologies developed by co-founder Dr. Philip Benfey in his laboratory at
Duke University. GrassRoots' core technology, the RootArray system, makes it
possible to monitor gene expression within developing plant roots, thus
providing new insight into the mechanism of genetic control of plant
development. The RootArray facilitates the discovery of genes and gene
promoters that could produce higher-yielding crops better able to withstand
environmental stresses, like drought and nitrogen deficiency.
GrassRoots also is developing an energy program to create enhanced biofuel
crops. Independently, GrassRoots is developing a bioenergy research program.
The company is creating enhanced biofuel feedstocks with increased biomass,
more accessible cellulose to facilitate processing, and roots that sequester
greater amounts of carbon.
Forward-Looking Statements:
Certain statements contained in this press release are forward-looking
statements, such as statements concerning the company's future product
performance, regulatory approvals, business and financial plans and other non-
historical facts. These statements are based on current expectations and
currently available information. However, since these statements are based on
factors that involve risks and uncertainties, the company's actual performance
and results may differ materially from those described or implied by such
forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such
differences include, among others: the success of the companies' research and
development activities; the costs of and the companies' abilities to access
and enforce intellectual property needed for the collaboration; the costs and
requirements of regulatory compliance and the speed with which approvals are
received; public acceptance of biotechnology products; and other risks and
factors detailed in the company's most recent periodic report to the SEC.
Undue reliance should not be placed on these forward-looking statements, which
are current only as of the date of this presentation. The company disclaims
any current intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements
or any of the factors that may affect actual results.
