Australian Patent Expansion

RNS Number : 0441S

Eden Research plc

27 November 2012

 



EDEN RESEARCH PLC

("Eden" or "Company")

Second Notice of Acceptance expands patent protection in Australia

Eden Research plc, the agrochemical and encapsulation development company, announces that it has received a second Notice of Acceptance from the Commonwealth of Australia Patent Office for one of its composition patents based on its base terpene components and encapsulation technology.

This patent covers the use of the Company's core technology as part of a composition which in this case is effective in controlling fungal and bacterial plant pathogens (the first Notice of Acceptance, as announced on 9 November 2012, was for flying insects and arachnids). The patent is relevant to agrochemical applications of Eden's technology, particularly in providing a safe, effective and environmentally friendly alternative to existing chemical pesticides used to protect vegetables, orchards and glasshouse crops.

The Patent, number 2006321416, which expires in 2026, covers a number of applications within the plant disease and bacteria sector.

Clive Newitt, Managing Director of Eden said, "Each time we receive a notification of either the grant of, or notice of acceptance of, a patent, it further strengthens our patent portfolio and, as we are in the business of licensing intellectual property rights, these events are of great significance. This particular event is important as the pesticide market in Australia is estimated to be a US$ 2.6 billion market* and since the scope of the patent is wide it is of significant value to us."

*according to 2011 Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority estimates

Eden Research plc	www.edenresearch.com
Clive Newitt, Managing Director	Tel: [phone]
Alex Abrey, Chief Financial Officer
Zeus Capital Limited
Ross Andrews, Andrew Jones (nomad) John Goold (Institutional Sales)	Tel: [phone] Tel: [phone]
Walbrook PR Ltd	Tel: [phone]
Paul McManus (Media Relations)	Mob: [phone] or [e-mail]
Paul Cornelius (Investor Relations)	Mob: [phone] or [e-mail]

Notes:

Eden has developed a terpene-based encapsulation technology which uses yeast cells to deliver a slow release of natural compounds for agricultural and non-agricultural uses.

Terpenes are natural compounds which function as defence mechanisms in many plant groups and are released in response to infection, attack by pests, stress or mechanical injury. Terpenes are already widely used in the food flavouring, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.

Historically, terpenes have had limited commercial use in the agrochemical sector due to their volatility, phytotoxicity and poor solubility. Eden's platform encapsulation technology provides a unique, environmentally friendly solution to these problems and enables terpenes to be used as effective, low-risk agrochemicals.

The next-generation encapsulation technology, licensed from University of Massachusetts Medical School ("UMMS") recently, provides significant additional benefits to the original system as it allows release to be controlled by environmental factors rather than relying solely upon the chemistry of the substances used. This means that there is more control over the timing of the release of the active compound being carried allowing for further reduction in chemicals applied whilst ensuring maximum effectiveness.

The UMMS license also significantly expands the potential use of the Eden technology in non-agricultural applications such as health and beauty, cosmetics and animal health.

For more information about Eden, please visit www.edenresearch.com 

 

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