Media Release
Tuesday, July 25 (embargoed until 3pm)
Botry-Zen unveils major developments – AGM announcement
Biotechnology company Botry-Zen is poised to unveil three major developments, Chief Executive John Scandrett told the
annual meeting in Dunedin today.
Scandrett said Botry-Zen plans the first full commercial release of its lead product, BOTRY-Zen on to the New Zealand
market this coming growing season and that this will be immediately followed, as soon as registration permits, with the
release of a new late season biological, ARMOUR-Zen. By May 2007 (a year ahead of schedule) it is intended to
commercially release BOTRY-Zen in the German and Austrian markets.
"In addition to the completion of the upgrade of our Dunedin factory, new large-scale manufacturing will soon be
formalised with a European company, Prophyta Biologischer Pflanzenschutz GmbH. The timing of the formalisation of the
new arrangements is expected to dovetail nicely with securing the 2007 German/Austrian market registration," he said.
The plan to launch ARMOUR-Zen on to the New Zealand market is significant for the company as it means that it will be
able to offer a companion product for BOTRY-Zen in the fight against Botrytis and Sclerotinia.
“Not only are we excited about how ARMOUR-Zen will complement BOTRY-Zen, but how both products can be used in other crop
applications beyond grapes.
“The successful trial work has exceeded expectations in disease containment not only across the two serious grape
infection threats of Botrytis and Sclerotinia, but also across other crops. We are very happy with results on kiwifruit,
blackcurrants and ornamental flowers,” he said.
The potential for the company in Europe is enormous.
“The ramifications of securing an additional manufacturing base with significant capacity, especially in Europe, should
not be underestimated.”
Under the new arrangement with the European company Botry-Zen Limited will retain full ownership of all proprietary
technologies and know-how and will also control all marketing and distribution functions. Final stage negotiations with
marketing partners in Germany and Austria are in train and are expected to be concluded by September,” he said.
“When you compare the 20,000 hectares that are under grapes in New Zealand with Europe and the United States, then you
appreciate the potential.
“In Germany and Austria alone there are approximately 200,000 hectares. For the rest of Europe that leaps to 3.3 million
hectares with another 400,000 hectares in the United States. Hopefully, we will be able to market BOTRY-Zen in all of
these markets by the 2008 season.
“And this is just the grape market. Trial results are very encouraging for kiwifruit,” he said.
Scandrett said that it is difficult to take any biotechnological idea through initial appraisal, laboratory assessment,
field proof-of-performance and commercial up-grade steps and while further challenges lie ahead the company remains
confident that it is now through the hardest parts of the process.
“The success of our field trials plus the fact we are proceeding to full commercial release has led us to modify both
our corporate logo and position statement to ‘Proven Natural Science.’
“The journey has begun and we are very confident of the future,” he told the AGM.
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Financial highlights for year ending March 31, 2006
A trading deficit (after depreciation) of $1,579,020 was recorded. On a comparative basis (before recognition of the
gains made on the sale of the Dunedin factory) the previous year’s trading deficit was $1,223,588.
Operation expense overheads were held at favourable levels, this assisting in off-setting some revenue short-fall where
budgeted sales did not, due to production constraints, meet target.
With significant forward steps being taken, in the latter part of the year, on the plant up-scaling process, development
expenses were ahead of budget. This was to be expected given the forward momentum generated around the timing of the
favourable Rights issue.
Background on Botry-Zen Limited
Botry-Zen Limited was formed in April 2001 to research, develop and commercialise biological control agents for use in
the agriculture and horticulture industry. The company is publicly listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange’s Main
Board.
The first biological control agent to be released commercially by Botry-Zen Limited is a new product called BOTRY-Zen,
which was specifically developed for the effective control of Botrytis cinerea fungal infection in grapes ("bunch rot"
or "grey mould").
Botry-Zen Limited (the company) owns an exclusive licence to technology giving the company the ability to produce,
distribute and sell BOTRY-Zen (the product).
The technology was developed through the co-operative efforts of the Horticulture Food Research Institute of New Zealand
Limited (HortResearch), Winegrape Tech (a joint venture between Winegrowers of New Zealand Limited and New Zealand Grape
Growers Limited) and Zenith Technology Corporation Limited (Zentech) and is the subject of an international patent
application.
The company's head office and manufacturing plant are located in Dunedin, New Zealand.
ENDS