Biotech Updates

BASF Plant Science and CFGC Sign Research Agreement

October 5, 2007

BASF Plant Science and South Korea’s Crop Functional Genomics Center (CFGC) signed a licensing agreement focusing on improvement of important staple crops like corn and rice.  The agreement will include BASF’s use of genes, related to high yield and stress tolerance, discovered by more than 200 researchers from 40 research institutes from all over the country. Under the deal, BASF Plant Science will be given exclusive licensing rights in important crops outside of South Korea, while CFGC will maintain all licensing rights within the Republic of Korea. CFGC is a state-supported research institution.

“The agreement is a win-win situation,” said Dr. Martin Brudermüller, member of BASF’s Board of Executive Directors. “CFGC has found exciting genes in important crops and BASF Plant Science has the platform and network to analyze and commercialize final products.”

Read the press release at http://corporate.basf.com/en/presse/mitteilungen/pm.htm?pmid=2860&id=28S*JB9s.bsf.1e