Athenix Corp., a leading biotechnology company developing novel products, technologies, and processes for agricultural and chemical applications, and the Iowa Corn Promotion Board, an organization promoting Iowa's corn industry, announced a research cooperation. This research cooperation will explore opportunities of applying innovative technologies to corn, and provide information regarding potential future benefits to the industry. The results of this research will be applied and commercialized in ways that are compatible with the goals of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

"We are very pleased that the Iowa Corn Promotion Board has selected Athenix as the partner of choice to apply our innovative technologies to benefit corn," said Mike Koziel, President and CEO of Athenix.

"This partnership has the potential to generate significant economic and commercial benefits for the corn industry," added Nicholas Duck, Vice President of Research of Athenix.

Brian Jones, Research and Business Development Manager of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board, said: "We are very pleased to partner with Athenix. The research and development capabilities of Athenix are impressive and we are confident that this cooperation will further strengthen the role of corn as the major US crop. The corn industry has a proven track record of impressive productivity gains from utilizing new technologies, and this research has the potential to contribute further to that record."

Athenix is a leading biotechnology company that discovers and develops novel products, technologies and processes for the agricultural and chemical businesses. Athenix is focused on enhanced plants, microbes, enzymes, and processes for a variety of industry sectors with emphasis on two major market opportunities: 1) the discovery of genes and proteins for novel input traits such as insect resistance, nematode resistance and herbicide tolerance, and their use to develop transgenic plants for the Agricultural Chemical and Seed Industries; and 2) the discovery of genes and proteins for use in the Chemical and Animal Feed Industries.

The Iowa Corn Promotion Board (ICPB) is composed of 17 corn growers, elected by their peers, who direct funds collected through the Iowa Corn Checkoff Program - a program designed to promote Iowa's corn industry. The Iowa Corn Checkoff Program, established in 1977, has been a model for corn Checkoff Programs in 18 other states. The Checkoff Program collects one-half cent for each bushel of Iowa corn sold into commercial channels. The ICPB, and the growers it represents, are actively working to create an economic climate in which the Iowa corn industry will flourish through research, market development and education.