September 18, 2002

The John Innes Centre (JIC)[1] and Sainsbury Laboratory (SL)[2], Norwich, have today announced that one of their commercial partners has signalled its intention to withdraw from a major research alliance that was established three years ago. The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) [3], the sponsoring body of the JIC, has also expressed its regret at the ending of this research alliance. This decision is a result of the company's global reorganisation following the merger
of agricultural businesses AstraZeneca and Novartis.

"While the termination of this innovative research and technology transfer agreement is regrettable," said Professor Chris Lamb (Director of the JIC) "it will not affect our commitment to remaining at the forefront of international wheat research. We are already in discussion with Syngenta about maximising the scientific benefit of the now truncated joint venture. Wheat is the principal cereal crop in the UK and our research on wheat genomics will continue to provide new opportunities for UK breeders and growers. Transferring what we learn to industry is a key part of the research process and this decision is obviously a setback to this process. However, JIC has a strong portfolio of knowledge and technology transfer mechanisms that will continue to help ensure that our research is made available to industrial and other users as efficiently as possible."

The research collaboration, agreed in 1999, included three elements:

1. The funding of fundamental research projects at JIC/SL.
2. The establishment of a Syngenta Laboratory on the site within the newly-built Genome
   Centre.
3. An innovative agreement to protect and share the intellectual property, arising from the
   collaborative programme, designed to facilitate the take up and use of publicly funded science
   by the private sector.

Syngenta has made a business decision to eliminate overlap of expertise and resources that
resulted from the merger of Zeneca Agrochemicals and Novartis Agribusiness.

"We are obviously disappointed that this collaboration will not be continuing as envisaged," says Professor Julia Goodfellow, Chief Executive of the BBSRC. "The John Innes Centre is one of Europe's premier facilities for plant and microbial science, and its internationally acclaimed research will not be significantly affected by this decision. This decision is particularly sad as it comes at a time when research is rapidly opening up new opportunities for understanding plant genetics and streamlining the selective breeding process in ways that could help support sustainable food production worldwide. However we recognise the company has had to reassess its needs following merger."

Mr Don O'Nions (JIC Company Secretary) said, "The collaboration is subject to a detailed legal contract which includes termination clauses that cover exactly this contingency. In the coming weeks we will be working with Syngenta to develop an exit strategy for them that honours their commitments and protects the interests of the JIC and the SL".

"The funding from the collaboration agreement with Syngenta was for short-term research projects and was additional to the support for our main science programmes from public bodies and charities", said Professor David Baulcombe (Head of the Sainsbury Laboratory). It is disappointing that we have lost an opportunity for development of our science. However we shall continue to explore every possible way of realising the potential of our research to benefit farmers, consumers and the environment."

[1] John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK is an independent, world-leading research centre in plant and microbial sciences. The JIC has over 850 staff and students. JIC carries out high quality fundamental, strategic and applied research to understand how plants and microbes work at the molecular, cellular and genetic levels. The JIC also trains scientists and students, collaborates with many other research laboratories and communicates its science to end-users and the general public. The JIC is grant-aided by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.

[2] The Sainsbury Laboratory has a worldwide reputation for research on molecular plant-microbe interactions. The major aim of the Laboratory is to pursue the fundamental processes involved in the interactions of plants and their microbial pathogens and symbionts. Funding for the Laboratory is primarily through grants from a charitable foundation. In addition grants are obtained from research councils, the European Union and other organizations. The laboratory is located at the John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK, which is an independent, world-leading research centre in plant and microbial science.

[3] BBSRC is one of the seven Research Councils sponsored through the UK Government's Office of Science and Technology and invests around £220 million per annum in the biosciences. BBSRC sustains a world-class bioscience research community for the UK. Its mission is not only to fund internationally competitive research, but also to provide training in the biosciences, to foster opportunities for knowledge transfer and innovation and to promote interaction with the public and other stakeholders on issues of scientific interest. The wide  range of research funded by BBSRC makes a significant contribution to the quality of life for UK citizens and supports a number of important industrial stakeholders including the agriculture, food, chemical, healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors.