Burcon Enters Further Material Transfer Agreements
Functionally, Burcon’s Puratein and Supertein demonstrate potential to replace egg, dairy and other proteins in a number of broad applications such as emulsifying, gelling, and binding.
09/11/06 Burcon NutraScience Corporation has announced that it has recently entered into a number of additional three-way material transfer agreements (“MTA’s”) enabling the provision of samples of Burcon’s proteins, Puratein and Supertein,to third parties for testing while protecting certain intellectual property interests of all of the parties involved. The recipients of the protein samples include certain globally recognized food and beverage companies as well as companies involved in the fields of consumer nutritional products and medical nutrition products.
The economic value of protein ingredients derives from two major attributes: function and nutrition. Functionally, Burcon’s Puratein and Supertein demonstrate potential to replace egg, dairy and other proteins in a number of broad applications such as emulsifying, gelling, and binding. Additionally, Supertein’s unique solubility profile suggests potential for its use in beverages – particularly low pH beverages – where traditional protein ingredients experience challenges. Nutritionally, Burcon’s proteins also exhibit exciting potential for use in nutritional supplements, sports beverages and medical nutrition products.
The purpose of the MTA’s which are the subject of this announcement and the MTA’s previously announced, is to provide samples of Burcon’s proteins to the major potential end users in order that they may test the proteins in food matrices, beverages, nutritional products etc.
The MTA’s that are the subject of this announcement are three-way contracts among Burcon, Archer Daniels Midland (“ADM”) and certain major food and beverage companies. These MTA’s define the rights and obligations of Burcon and ADM, but just as importantly they define the rights and obligations of the food and beverage companies who are the recipient with respect to the proteins and any derivatives thereof. The rights defined include intellectual property issues, confidentiality terms and matters governing the publication of findings.
“We have continued to focus our efforts on getting Puratein and Supertein into the new product innovation centers of the major food and beverage companies so that they can test-drive them in their products,” stated Johann F. Tergesen, Burcon’s President & COO, who added, “We look forward to working with these potential partners in creating opportunities and applications for our proteins.” Discussions among Burcon, ADM and food and beverage companies are ongoing and it is anticipated that additional three-way MTA’s will be entered into in the future.
