Burcon Granted European Patent for Flax Seed Oil

23/08/06 Burcon NutraScience Corporation has announced that it has been granted a patent by the European Patent Office: European Patent No. 1434493 - "Flax Protein Isolate and Production" -which covers a novel protein isolate derived from any flax oil seed, including the low linolenic acid variety Linola oil seed, and the production thereof.

Linola is the trademark name of solin varieties, strains of flax, now being developed by Canada's Agricore United through a joint venture with CSIRO - the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization of Australia which developed the original strain in the early 1990's.

The patent application, which is the subject of this announcement, was originally filed in November 2002. At that time, Burcon also filed applications, which are currently being reviewed, with the United States Patent and Trademark Office as well as internationally under the Patent Cooperation Treaty of the World Intellectual Property Organization.

Burcon has committed to register this patent in some twenty European countries.

As previously announced, Burcon already holds four U.S. patents over canola protein processing technology and canola protein isolate product uses. A number of Burcon's patent applications, including one which has already granted, are applicable to oilseeds and oilseed meals other than canola; including sunflower, soybean and even hemp seed. This is the first exclusively non-canola based technology over which Burcon has obtained patent protection.

"Flax is an important oil seed crop which has seen strong growth in consumer awareness for its health benefits including omega 3 fatty acids, lignans and fibre," stated Johann F. Tergesen, Burcon's President & COO who added, "Burcon will continue to devote some of its resources to exploring opportunities beyond its core canola protein isolate technology."