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Bothell, Washington
July 26, 2001
EDEN Bioscience Corporation
(Nasdaq:EDEN) and The Scotts Company (NYSE:SMG) today announced
an exclusive global business relationship by which Scotts will
evaluate EDEN's harpin protein technology for use in consumer
products for lawn and garden care, as well as in its full range
of products for professional horticulture.
EDEN(R) currently sells this technology in the agricultural
market, under the brand name Messenger(R).
"We have been conducting trials with Messenger for several
months," said Scotts CEO James Hagedorn. "We think this
technology may have tremendous potential for both consumer and
professional ornamental, lawn and garden markets."
"This agreement signals our desire to use cutting-edge
technology to add value for our customers -- with possible
benefits such as increased blooms on flowers, earlier maturing
vegetables, and healthier lawns," said Hagedorn.
The agreement grants Scotts exclusive global rights to research
the use of harpin technology in the worldwide consumer lawn and
garden market (including in combination with products such as
Miracle-Gro(R)); the lawn, tree and shrub service markets; and
the branded plants market. The agreement also stipulates that
EDEN and Scotts will work together in a mutually beneficial way
to develop new products to be sold exclusively by Scotts.
Separately, EDEN expects to name Scotts a distributor for
selling Messenger to the professional horticulture and turf
markets. All of these markets make up a $7 billion annual
business.
"This agreement opens the door for Messenger and EDEN's harpin
technology to be introduced to the turf, ornamental and lawn
markets by the company with the leading consumer brands," said
Jerry Butler, company CEO. "Partnering with Scotts allows us to
work with an industry leader, and expose our technology to a new
market outside of traditional agriculture."
Messenger was developed and brought to the commercial market in
the United States by EDEN Bioscience(R). The product combines
biotechnology and green chemistry to harness natural plant
defense and growth systems that cause plants to resist attack by
diseases and insects, and exhibit increased nutrient uptake and
photosynthesis.
Messenger has been shown to be non-hazardous to humans, animals,
and the environment. The role of naturally occurring harpin
proteins in triggering natural plant defense systems and
activating growth systems without altering the plant's DNA was
discovered by Zhong-Min Wei, PhD, and colleagues at Cornell
University, New York, in 1992. Wei is now vice-president for
research at EDEN.
In late June, the EPA awarded EDEN the U.S. Presidential Green
Chemistry Challenge Award for its technical innovation in the
development of the harpin technology incorporated in Messenger.
The award is given annually through the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency's Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics to
companies and individuals that research, develop, and implement
technologies that reduce or eliminate the use or generation of
hazardous substances.
EDEN Bioscience was founded in 1994 and has more than 140
employees involved in research, sales, marketing, and
manufacturing. Corporate headquarters are located in Bothell,
Wash., where the company maintains manufacturing and research
facilities.
The Scotts Company, headquartered in Ohio for over 130 years, is
the world's leading supplier and marketer of consumer products
for do-it-yourself lawn and garden care, with a full range of
products for professional horticulture as well. The company owns
the industry's most recognized brands including Scotts(R),
Miracle-Gro(R) and Ortho(R) brands, and is the exclusive
marketing agent worldwide for the consumer Roundup(R) brand
which is owned by Monsanto. In the U.K., Scotts' brands include
Weedol(R) and Pathclear(R), the top-selling consumer herbicides;
Evergreen(R), the leading lawn fertilizer line; the Levington(R)
line of lawn and garden products; and Miracle-Gro(R), the
leading plant fertilizer. The company's leading brands in
continental Europe include KB(R) and Fertiligene(R) in France
and Nexa Lotte(R) and Celaflor(R) in Germany.
(c) 2001 EDEN Bioscience Corporation. Always read and follow
label instructions before buying or using this product.
Messenger(R), and EDEN(R), and EDEN Bioscience(R) are registered
trademarks of EDEN Bioscience Corp.
Company news release
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