SemBioSys Genetics appoints Jeff Craig Vice President of Business Development -- Former Monsanto executive to lead commercialization effort for Stratosome™ Production System

Calgary, Alberta
February 19, 2002

SemBioSys Genetics Inc., a privately held biotechnology company, announced today that it has named Jeff Craig as vice president of business development. Craig will be responsible for establishing development and commercialization agreements with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies based on SemBioSys' enabling oil body-based Stratosome(TM) Production System.

"Jeff's broad experience with therapeutic proteins will allow him to work with our current and potential customers to fully leverage our Stratosome Production System in the commercialization of their biologics," said Andrew Baum, president and chief executive officer of SemBioSys.

Craig brings diverse biologic manufacturing and business development experience to SemBioSys. He has over 20 years of technical and executive experience in cell biology, bioprocessing, transgenic systems and the commercialization of biologics. Prior to joining SemBioSys, Craig served as president of Goodwin Biotechnology, Inc., and as vice president of business development at Monsanto's Integrated Protein Technologies. He is a co-founder of LevTech, Inc., and will continue to serve as chairman of the LevTech Board of Directors.

"I am very excited by the opportunity and potential at SemBioSys. The technology and intellectual property here represent a tremendous breakthrough in the manufacturing economics of simple and complex proteins," Craig said. "In addition to providing significant upstream expression and formulation advantages, SemBioSys' Stratosome Production System offers a true breakthrough in product recovery and downstream processing."

Stratosome Production System

SemBioSys is using a variety of genetic engineering technologies to express proteins in the seeds of safflower. The Stratosome Production System is an enabling technology that allows the attachment of proteins to oil bodies -- natural oil storage organelles found in oilseeds -- through either direct targeting or affinity capture. Taking advantage of the simple physical principle that oil is lighter than water, oil bodies can be easily separated from the majority of other seed components. Combined with low-cost production of plant-based systems, this provides a cost-effectiv solution for bulk protein production and purification. The technology also offers a unique platform for the oral and topical delivery of bioactive peptides and proteins. SemBioSys operates a pilot manufacturing facility that can deliver oil body-based products and purified protein at scale.


Calgary, Alberta-based SemBioSys Genetics is a privately held biotechnology company focused on the development of high-value protein and oil body-based products using its proprietary oil body-based technology -- the Stratosome Production System. Spun-out of the University of Calgary in 1996, the company's investors include Bay City Capital, Dow AgroSciences Canada Inc., Ventures West, Business Development Bank of Canada, University Technologies International, Royal Bank Capital Partners and Maurice Moloney, Ph.D., scientific founder and chief scientific officer. SemBioSys has established partnerships with Syngenta, Metabolic Pharmaceuticals, a multinational fine chemical
manufacturer and several pharmaceutical companies.

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