License Agreement

 

TIDMFGN 
 
RNS Number : 5027D 
Futuragene PLC 
03 December 2009 
 

FUTURAGENE PLC 
 
 
Bayer CropScience and FuturaGene sign license agreement for drought tolerance 
technology in cotton 
 
 
3 December 2009. FuturaGene PLC ("FuturaGene", or the "the Group", AIM: FGN) and 
Bayer CropScience have entered into a license agreement for a drought 
tolerance technology.The agreement grants Bayer CropScience exclusive worldwide 
rights to utilize a FuturaGene drought tolerance technology in cotton. 
 FuturaGene will receive an upfront license fee, followed by development 
milestone payments and trait royalties on sales of cotton seeds incorporating 
this technology. Further financial details were not disclosed. 
 
 
The technology licensed to Bayer is intended to protect the yield of the plant 
when it is subjected to drought. Drought is one of the principal environmental 
limits of crop yield as it hampers the cultivation of crops on more than 40 
percent of the earth's land surface, posing a serious threat to global 
agricultural production and food supplies. 
 
 
Dr. Linda Trolinder, Global Cotton R & D Manager in the BioScience business 
group of Bayer CropScience, said: 
 
 
"We're pleased to be working with FuturaGene as a partner in developing next 
generation drought tolerance in cotton.  Their technology fits well with our 
strategy to explore multiple approaches to drought tolerance in order to bring 
the most effective, high-performance trait solutions to market to help farmers 
tackle this global challenge." 
 
 
Dr Stanley Hirsch, FuturaGene Chief Executive, added: 
 
 
"Combining our drought tolerance technology with Bayer's development and 
marketing capabilities creates a huge benefit for both companies as well as to 
farmers. This important agreement fits precisely with our development strategy - 
to focus on poplar and eucalyptus for the paper and pulp and biomass markets 
whilst licensing our leading gene technologies to global operators for other 
crops." 
 
 
Enquiries 
 
 
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| FuturaGene Plc                     |                                      | 
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| Mark Pritchard, Chairman           | [phone]                 | 
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| Dr. Stanley Hirsch, Chief          | [phone]                     | 
| Executive                          |                                      | 
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| Evolution Securities               |                                      | 
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| Neil Elliot                        | [phone]                 | 
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| College Hill                       |                                      | 
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| Adrian Duffield/Rozi Morris        | + 44 20 7457 2020                    | 
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| Bayer CropScience                  |                                      | 
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| Richard Breum                      | [phone]                     | 
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About Futuragene PLC 
 
 
FuturaGene is a leader in plant genetic research and development for the global 
forestry, biofuel, and agricultural markets. The Group develops sustainable, 
ecologically sound technology to meet the ever increasing demands for fiber, 
fuel and food crops in the face of declining and deteriorating land and water 
resources. FuturaGene aims to be the leading crop technology company for 
biomass, second generation biofuel and biopower, through two main technology 
platforms: Cell Wall Modification, which helps crops grow faster, enhancing 
yield and processability; and Abiotic Stress Tolerance which enables plants to 
grow in harsh, dry, salty environments or protects yield when plants are 
stressed by these factors. The Group's most advanced technologies are for yield 
improvement in sustainable industrial forestry. The Group has established broad 
applications of its technology in key crops including eucalyptus, poplar, 
alfalfa and corn. Further information is available at www.futuragene.com. 
 
 
About Bayer CropScience 
 
 
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of health 
care, nutrition and high-tech materials. Bayer CropScience AG, a subsidiary of 
Bayer AG with annual sales of about EUR 6.4 billion (2008), is one of the 
world's leading innovative crop science companies in the areas of crop 
protection, non-agricultural pest control, seeds and plant biotechnology. The 
company offers an outstanding range of products and extensive service backup for 
modern, sustainable agriculture and for non-agricultural applications. Bayer 
CropScience has a global workforce of more than 18,000 and is represented in 
more than 120 countries. This and further news is available at: 
www.press.bayercropscience.com. 
 
 
 
This information is provided by RNS 
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange 
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