OAKLAND, CA and KALAMAZOO, MI--(Marketwired - Aug 21, 2014) - Insect pests cause billions of dollars in damage annually to farms, forests, landscapes, structures and domesticated animals. The yearly expenditure for insect control products is estimated to exceed $15 Billion USD globally. Traditional chemical solutions are less selective and, may cause unwanted side effects like harm to the environment and pest resistance.
To provide innovative solutions, Phyllom BioProducts Corp. (Phyllom) and Vestaron Corporation (Vestaron) have entered into a collaboration to develop novel, effective yet low impact biological insect controls by a research and development collaboration. Both companies have novel EPA registered active ingredients based on natural proteins.
Phyllom's natural protein is derived from a microbe naturally found in soils and on plants around the world called Bacillus thuringiensis (BT). While this insect control has been used by organic gardeners, farmers and foresters for decades, Phyllom has harnessed the power of a patented strain called BT galleriae with a patented natural Cry protein that is uniquely effective against beetles, weevils and borers including the difficult to control adult stage.
Vestaron's technologies are based on powerful proteins derived from spiders. Vestaron's spider peptides work differently from Phyllom's proteins.
Of the collaboration, John Sorenson, Vestaron CEO, said the two companies are "exploring synergistic opportunities to control insect pests with potentially lower doses and better results." John Libs, Phyllom CEO added that the companies "anticipate that these products will maintain the environmental advantages offered by bioinsecticides."
The companies expect that biopesticides derived from the collaboration will demonstrate performance advantages such as improved crop/plant/animal health and the control of difficult and resistant pests or disease vectors. In addition, the companies believe that customers will find that worker schedules are easier to manage because of new products with shorter pre-harvest and worker re-entry intervals, application flexibility, worker safety and many other practical value added benefits for customers.
About Phyllom BioProducts Corp.
484 Lake Park Ave # 23 -- Oakland, CA 94610 -- 650-322-5000
Phyllom BioProducts Corp. (Phyllom) discovers, develops and markets novel insect control technologies with low ecological impact that protect the beauty, health and value of forests, farms and landscapes from devastation by beetle, weevil and grub invaders. Phyllom is now in launch stage with its brands beetleGONE!™, grubGONE!® and boreGONE!®. This suite of proprietary products and technologies are protected by a number of issued and pending patents.
For more information about Phyllom, please go to www.PhyllomBioProducts.com
About Vestaron Corporation
4717 Campus Dr, Suite 1200 -- Kalamazoo, MI 49008 -- 269-372-3108
Vestaron is commercializing a new generation of biopesticides using natural peptides originally discovered in spiders. Vestaron's products have unique modes of action and are highly effective against crop damaging pests, yet have proven harmless to non-target species including humans. Target markets include agriculture, animal health, and specialty non-crop uses such as household insects. Vestaron products are ideally suited for the environmentally conscious 21st century.
For more information, visit www.vestaron.com
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Information in this press release, which is not historical, is forward looking and involves a number of risks and uncertainties. Investors are cautioned not to put any undue reliance on any forward-looking statement. Actual results may differ materially from historical results of operations and those discussed in the forward-looking statements for various reasons, including, but not limited to the parties' ability to carry out the business plan, successful development and commercial acceptance of products, ability to fund development necessary for products and for the pursuit of new product opportunities, ability to hire required personnel, the risk of whether products result from development activities, protection of the parties' intellectual property portfolios, the risk associated with obtaining the necessary regulatory approvals, the ability to obtain foreign regulatory approvals for products and to establish marketing arrangements in countries where approval is obtained, and other potential factors.
Contact Information:
For more information contact:
Kurt Schwartau
Phyllom BioProducts
Business Advisory Board
916-719-6176
Robert Kennedy PhD
Vestaron
Chief Scientific Officer
269-544-3007