Strategic Diagnostics and AgrEvo to Develop GM Food Test Kit

Strategic Diagnostics Inc. (Newark, DE) has entered into a licensing agreement with Hoechst Schering AgrEvo GmbH, a developer of genetically engineered crops and a supplier of genetically modified seeds. AgrEvo has non-exclusively licensed SDI in Europe to use the PAT protein for the development of test kits that allow to detect the presence of the protein in food and food ingredients.

This agreement will assist SDI in the quick development and marketing of multiple protein-based test platforms for food ingredients. In particular, SDI will now be able to determine the presence of food ingredients directly related to AgrEvo's Liberty Link trait. According to SDI, such a test would complement its Soya Test kits.

"The cooperative effort between the developers of these new agricultural products, the EU regulatory bodies, the leading food companies and SDI will provide a useful tool to determine when labeling should occur, thus giving consumers a choice in purchasing their food products.," said Richard Birkmeyer, President and CEO of SDI. "GMO food labeling regulation represents an opportunity for SDI's immunoassay-based testing technology, and create a market position as a leading developer and supplier of rapid tests for genetically engineered traits used in new crop breeding and seed quality control."

Strategic Diagnostics is a provider of biotechnology-based diagnostic tests for a broad range of commercial applications. AgrEvo is a global company active in biotechnology, seeds, crop protection and environmental health.