Commercialisation Of Botry-Zen Gathers Impetus

News Release
19 July 2002

Commercialisation Of Botry-Zen Gathers Impetus

The commercialisation of Botry-Zen, a biological control for Botrytis fungal infections in a wide range of crops, but particularly in grapes, is gathering impetus, with the confirmation that the product has been granted full Registration under the Pesticides Act 1979.

This formal approval now permits the company to move forward on the scaling-up of the Dunedin plant’s manufacturing capacity together with product promotion and commercial field application.

Chief Executive of Botry-Zen, Mr John Scandrett, said today, “The Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Group has completed its review and evaluation of the Botry-Zen product, and subject to a minor label change requirement, which the company has already complied with, Botry-Zen Limited now looks forward to moving the commercialisation process to the next phase.”

The Registration comes at a time when Botry-Zen Limited is in the final stages of completing the documentation process associated with the company’s move from Unlisted Securities status to listing on the NZSE Main Board.

ENDS

Background information on Botry-Zen

Botry-Zen Ltd is expected to list on the main board of the New Zealand Stock Exchange in July.

Currently trading on the NZSE unlisted share market, the company raised an initial $5 million from private investors.

Botry-Zen Ltd now owns the exclusive licence to the technology giving the company the ability to produce, distribute and sell the new product, which provides biological control of plant diseases, caused by Botrytis fungus infections.

The Botry-Zen product controls bunch rot in grapes however other forms of Botrytis fungus attack crops such as berry fruits, cut flowers, tomatoes, lettuces and cabbages and Botrytis infection can be a significant problem in the kiwifruit industry following the harvest of the fruit.

Botry-Zen’s directors are Dr Cheung-Tak Hung, Dr Maxwell Shepherd, Dr Wayne Burt, Mr John Forrest and Mr Howard Paterson.

Dr Hung is an executive director of Zenith Technology and a director of Botry-Zen Limited. He is a former senior lecturer in pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical analysis at the University of Otago.

Dr Shepherd is an executive director of Zenith Technology and a director of BLIS Technologies Limited. He is a former senior lecturer in the Biochemistry Department at the University of Otago and was the foundation Professor in Experimental Oral Biology

Also a director of A2 Corporation, Dr Burt is an investment banker and company director based in London. He is a principal of Lotus Capital Investment Limited, a European based investment banking firm.

Mr John Forrest is the Viticulturalist/Winemaker at Forrest Estate Winery, Marlborough. As well as producing award winning wines, Forrest developed the 60 hectare vineyard from scratch to now produce 50,000 cases of wine annually. Mr Forrest also has a notable academic background, particularly in the field of gene-mapping.

Chief Executive, Mr John Scandrett joined Botry-Zen following a twelve-year term as
Director of Commercial Development at the University of Otago, where he played a leading role in the commercialisation of the University’s new intellectual property.

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