Mendel Biotechnology, Inc. announced today that the Patent and Trademark Office has issued U.S. Patent No. 5,891,859 entitled "Method for Regulating Cold and Dehydration Regulatory
Genes in a Plant.''

The patent provides methods for regulating the expression of cold and dehydration regulated genes in a plant by transforming a plant with CBF1 or a homologous gene, and then expressing the gene. In addition, Mendel Biotechnology has received Notices of Allowance for a number of other related patent applications.

CBF1 is a transcription factor that binds to the upstream region of specific cold and drought
regulated genes and enhances the cold and drought resistance of plants expressing CBF1. CBF1 is being commercialized under the WeatherGard(TM) trademark.

"Plants with the WeatherGard(TM) gene will be more resistant to freezing and to drought,'' said Dr. Michael Fromm, Mendel's President and CEO. ``These are very important traits as the recent $650 million of freezing damage to the California citrus crop and the $1,600 million of drought damage to Texas crops demonstrate. Mendel is working with partners to introduce the WeatherGard(TM) gene into various crops to create new stress-resistant plants. Reducing the weather-related risks of farming should reduce the stress of being a farmer as well.''

The issued patent covers technology which is being developed by Dr. Mike Thomashow at Michigan State University in association with Mendel Biotechnology and has been exclusively licensed to Mendel Biotechnology. The license grants Mendel Biotechnology the right to sublicense the technology for environmental stress resistance in different crops.

Mendel Biotechnology, Inc. is a plant functional genomics company focused on the discovery and development of technologies that will improve plant traits for agriculture, horticulture and forestry. Mendel Biotechnology has established research collaborations with Monsanto, Empresas La Moderna (ELM) and Seminis Vegetable Seeds, a subsidiary of ELM.

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