SyMyco Announces Expansion in St. Louis

    ST. LOUIS, MO, October 21, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Today, SyMyco, a joint venture between Symbiotic Sciences based in New Delhi, India and Mycorrhizal Applications (MA), based in Grants Pass, OR, announced it is expanding its U.S. presence in the Bio Research & Development Growth (BRDG) Park on the campus of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis, Missouri.

The expansion will triple the ag biological company's research and production capabilities and is being done in collaboration with Valent Biosciences Corporation (VBC), the leader in biorational product development for agriculture, public health, and forestry worldwide. VBC is the parent company of MA.

SyMyco has been a growing tenant at BRDG Park, the bio research campus developed by Wexford Science +Technology LLC. SyMyco has experienced commercial success with its core technology, a unique consortium of concentrated mycorrhizal fungi, an all-natural product used to enhance plant productivity and improve plant health, in both commercial agriculture and horticulture. The expansion will create space for new hires in 2016 first quarter to support product demand and new R&D projects.

"We are excited to further strengthen our relationship with the BRDG Park and the Danforth Center with this expansion," said Aditya Malhotra, president & CEO of SyMyco. "Given the strength of this technology and its alignment with trends favoring natural products as part of a sustainable plant health system, we believe strongly that mycorrhizae will play an increasing role in crop production in the future."

Mycorrhizal inoculation increases plant productivity by forming a symbiotic relationship with plant roots, enhancing access to nutrients and water. The addition of MA's mycorrhizal product line adds another strategic platform to VBC's rapidly expanding global biorational business, providing additional tools for the Biorational Window platform being developed with its parent, Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. (SCC).

"Through our partnership with SyMyco and investment in the BRDG Park, we're now poised to establish a physical presence in this important regional plant sciences ecosystem" said Warren Shafer, Ph.D., vice president of Global R&D and Regulatory Affairs for VBC. "This additional research expertise and capacity will add to the segment of our global research program focused on the science and technology of mycorrhizae."

The plant science company utilizes the Danforth Center's state-of-the-art facilities and expertise of the Plant Growth Facility's staff to research mycorrhizae in order to develop its product aimed at increasing farm production and sustainability. SyMyco is looking to enhance its relationship with Danforth Center through R&D collaborations.

"From the beginning BRDG Park worked with the SyMyco team to create a custom space appropriate for their unique needs and environment to help them achieve success," said Sam Fiorello, president BRDG Park and COO of the Danforth Center.  "The innovation ecosystem here is an ideal platform for SyMyco to deliver technologies to farmers that will enhance their profitability and sustainability."

About SyMyco
SyMyco is a subsidiary of Symbiotic Sciences (www.symbioticsciences.com), based in New Dehli, India. SyMyco's family of biological fertilizers reduce the need for water and chemical fertilizers. Based on sterile, genetically pure, non-pathogenic mycorrhizae (fungus-roots), the company's fertilizers provide high-quality, cost-effective and scalable bio plant growth solutions that increase yield, improve nutrient and water uptake, improve root activity, recapture carbon from the atmosphere and enhance resistance to weeds and disease. Applications range from farms, landscapes and nurseries to soil restoration and erosion control.

About Mycorrhizal Applications, Inc.
Mycorrhizal Applications, Inc. (www.mycorrhizaecom) is a joint venture partner of SyMyco. The Oregon-based company is a world leader in the production of mycorrhizal (mī- kȯr-'rī-zəl) inoculums. Mycorrhizal Applications, Inc, has more than 32 years of experience in the practical use of mycorrhizal inoculum and a comprehensive research and application background.

About Valent BioSciences Corporation
Headquartered in Libertyville, IL, Valent BioSciences is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sumitomo Chemical Company and is the worldwide leader in the development, manufacturing and commercialization of biorational products with sales in 95 countries around the world. Valent BioSciences is an ISO 9001:2008 Certified Company. For additional information, visit the company's website at http://www.valentbiosciences.com

About Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited
Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, Sumitomo Chemical Company is one of Japan's leading chemical companies, offering a diverse range of products globally in the fields of petrochemicals, energy and functional materials, IT-related chemicals and materials, health and crop science products, and pharmaceuticals. The company's total consolidated net sales for fiscal year 2014 were JPY 2.trillion. For additional information, visit the company's website at http://www.sumitomo-chem.co.jp/english/.

About BRDG Park at the Danforth Center
Bio-Research & Development Growth (BRDG) Park at the Danforth Plant Science Center helps life sciences companies bridge research, resources and relationships to achieve commercial success. In addition to providing world-class wet laboratories, office space and a prominent incubator, BRDG Park's location on the Danforth Center's campus facilitates access to the intellectual capital of top scientists, as well as to greenhouse, growth chambers, microscopy and proteomics facilities and other vital resources. Located in suburban St. Louis County, Missouri, BRDG Park is being developed by Wexford Science +Technology LLC, a BioMed Realty Company, a development company led by a seasoned team of real estate, finance and engineering experts specializing in major university facilities and science research parks nationwide. More information is available at www.BRDG-Park.com.

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