Akkadix Corporation, an international agricultural gene discovery and functional genomics company announced today that it acquiring exclusive rights to a gene discovery technology ("TraitFinder™") that was developed jointly by Dr. Martin Yanofsky at the University of California, San Diego and Dr. Detlef Weigel at The Salk Institute. The technology, which can be used with any plant species, is the subject of a patent application.

In addition, Akkadix Corporation has also entered into exclusive consulting agreements with the aforementioned scientists, and Dr. Julian Schroeder of the University of California, San Diego, to advise Akkadix on utilizing this technology for the identification of new plant traits.

Each of the scientists is a world leader in the field of gene function and discovery.

• Julian Schroeder – Professor of Biology at the University of California, San Diego; Current research focuses on molecular and cell biological elucidation of signal transduction cascades in higher plant cells; Ph.D. from the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry and the University of Göttingen; Postdoctoral fellow of the NIH and of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in Physiology at UCLA School of Medicine; Recipient of an NSF Presidential Young Investigator Award; DFG Maier-Leibnitz Prize, 1996 Humboldt Fellow; and the Shull Award of the ASPP.
• Detlef Weigel – Associate Professor Plant Biology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies; Current research focuses on the interplay between environmental signals and hard-wired developmental programs, with emphasis on the interface between floral induction and floral patterning, Dr. Weigel received his Ph.D. in 1988 from the Max Planck Institute in Germany. After postdoctoral work at the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, he joined the faculty of the Salk Institute in 1993. Also in 1993, he was named a National Science Foundation Young Investigator. He was an elected Member of the North American Arabidopsis Steering Committee (NAASC).
• Martin Yanofsky – Professor of Biology at The University of California, San Diego; Current research focuses on molecular mechanisms which control the initiation and development of flowers and fruits in higher plants; Ph.D. from the University of Washington; NSF Postdoctoral Fellow in Plant Biology at Caltech; Recipient of a Packard Fellowship for Science and Engineering; Beckman Young Investigator Award.

Recently, Dr. Joanne Chory was added as an additional advisor to Akkadix on its Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. Chory will also be participating as an advisor to the TraitFinder program. Dr. Chory is an Associate Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Professor and Director of the Plant Biology Laboratory at The Salk Institute, a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a member of the National Academy of Sciences

Leo Kim, Chief Technical Officer of Akkadix states, "These scientists offer us an enormous wealth of knowledge and expertise in the plant science field. Their infusion of new and innovative ideas into Akkadix will only accelerate our current in-house activities."

"We are looking forward to have these four leading scientists provide guidance to the scientists of Akkadix," says, Gary Richardson, President of Akkadix. "The San Diego area is rich in intellectual resources for agricultural biotechnology and Akkadix will continue to cultivate and to develop a network of relationships in the region with scientists, such as Drs. Chory, Schroeder, Weigel, and Yanofsky. "

In March, Akkadix announced the expansion of its gain-of-function gene discovery collaboration with the University of Edinburgh. The expanded program will focus on seven separately funded areas including: plant growth control; disease, pathogen and pest resistance; plant primary and secondary metabolism; organ development; and natural product pathways. This collaboration is expected to have a high probability of finding novel/useful traits due to the large number of trait targets that are being investigated. Developments under the collaboration will be available to Akkadix on an exclusive worldwide basis.

In February, Akkadix announced that it had licensed certain gene technologies developed by Dr. Vicki B. Vance from the South Carolina Research Institute. The licensed gene technologies are useful to ensure durable, high-level expression of transgenes in crop plants. In addition Akkadix also announced that it had entered into a three-year research Agreement to fund Dr. Vance’s on-going research into an important viral defense phenomenon in plants known as post-transcriptional gene silencing.

In January, Akkadix announced the formation of a research collaboration with the Philippine Rice Research Institute ("PhilRice") for gene discovery in rice. Developments arising under the program with PhilRice will be available to Akkadix on a worldwide basis, and to PhilRice for use in the Philippines.

Equity funding for Akkadix Corporation has come from venture capital investments by Bay City Capital Fund I, L.P, North American Nutrition and Agribusiness Fund, L.P. (which is also managed by Bay City Capital, LLC.) and the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council. Corporate Investors include Axys Pharmaceuticals, Inc and Forage Genetics, Inc.

Akkadix Corporation is a global agricultural biotechnology company that uses gene discovery, functional genomics, bioinformatics, plant breeding and other technologies for the discovery of novel plant traits which improve health and safety, increase production, lower costs, help preserve the environment and create new opportunities for agriculture.