Plant Health Care PLC Research Update (4128U)
18 January 2017 - 6:02PM
UK Regulatory
TIDMPHC
RNS Number : 4128U
Plant Health Care PLC
18 January 2017
PLANT HEALTH CARE PLC
("Plant Health Care", "PHC" or the "Company")
Plant Health Care(R) (AIM: PHC), a leading provider of novel
patent-protected biological products to global agriculture markets,
is pleased to provide the following update in relation to its New
Technology business.
Highlights
ð Field trials with Innatus(TM) 3G in 2016 continued
to show good results, both in Plant Health Care's own
trials and those run by partners. All four evaluation
partners have now extended the terms of their contracts
into 2018. We are on track for the first competitive
licensing process to conclude in early 2018.
ð Two new PREtec peptide platforms: T-Rex 3G and Y-Max
3G have been presented to industry players. First agreements
have been signed and more are expected over the coming
months. Field trials have begun and we are targeting
a revenue-generating licence before the end of 2017.
ð Plant Health Care continues to make strong progress
in building its capability to make, to formulate and
to register PREtec peptides. This will accelerate first
sales, following the agreement of licences with partners.
Innatus 3G
In 2016 Plant Health Care completed its fourth year of Innatus
3G field trials. Performance was in line with previous years.
Results confirm the value of peptides from Innatus 3G for three
critical agricultural uses - yield promotion, disease protection
and drought resistance - all of which are very important commercial
targets.
Peptides from the Innatus 3G platform were added to standard
industry mixtures of agrochemicals and biologicals, and applied to
seeds in the conventional way. Even in a year with close to ideal
growing conditions, Innatus 3G provided substantial increases in
harvest yield. This all supports our view that Innatus 3G will add
significant value on top of conventional seed treatment
applications.
PHC has four evaluation partners for Innatus 3G. Some of them
conducted field trials on a larger scale than Plant Health Care has
ever done. The larger the scale of their field trials, the more
enthusiastic the partners were about their results. All four
partners have extended the terms of their evaluation agreements
into 2018.
Greenhouse studies commissioned by PHC during 2016 showed
Innatus 3G peptides providing impressive resistance against certain
fungal diseases. For example, young corn plants grown from treated
seed that had been planted into soil infected with the Fusarium
fungus displayed fewer symptoms of stem and root. This level of
control matched or even exceeded control achieved by standard
fungicide seed treatments. These results have been confirmed on a
larger scale in partner trials, to statistically significant
levels. This confirmed that Innatus 3G can protect crop yield
against the pressure of various diseases under field
conditions.
A field trial run by PHC in California gave strong indications
that certain Innatus 3G peptides can substantially protect corn
yield from the effects of drought. This confirmed the predictions
of many small-scale tests run in Seattle.
T-Rex 3G and Y-Max 3G
Two new PREtec peptide platforms were presented to selected
industry partners in 2016, supported by data from greenhouse and
laboratory tests and limited field trials. Our target had been to
present one platform but additional studies and encouragement from
our partners persuaded us to move forward with two, so we are now
ahead of plan.
ð T-Rex 3G is a platform that has been optimised for nematode
suppression, which is a substantial market opportunity,
with relatively few good commercial products today. Peptides
from T-Rex 3G have been shown to give results comparable
with or in some cases markedly superior to control achieved
by chemical and biological commercial standards. Trials
during 2016 showed peptides from T-Rex 3G protecting
plants and suppressing the soil-borne populations of
pest nematodes.
ð Y-Max 3G behaves more like a classic biostimulant but
has its own mode of action. When applied to corn and
soy as a seed treatment it increases biomass and yield.
2016 trials in corn showed that root structures were
developed early and nutrient uptake was improved. Field
trials have confirmed that seed treatment with Y-Max
3G leads to increased corn yields. Biostimulants as a
class have particular advantages in terms of the cost
and speed of commercial registration.
ð Responses to T-Rex 3G and Y-Max 3G have been very positive.
The first agreements (with both new and existing partners)
have already been signed, to explore these new platforms
and field trials have begun. More evaluation agreements
are expected to be signed over the coming months. PHC
is aiming to secure its first revenue generating licence
of one of these technologies in 2017.
PHC's product development capability
As industry partners gain more confidence in the field
performance of the technology, they are starting to pay detailed
attention to other parameters, including the physical stability of
peptides in formulations, and their compatibility with proprietary
chemistry. Positive results in these areas are required before our
partners take final development decisions.
With our expanded R&D facilities in Seattle operating well,
PHC is well placed to support partners as they progress towards
product development. We have run extensive compatibility and
stability studies. We have also carried out initial fermentation
production trials, utilising our extensive experience of this
approach to produce our existing products. Early indications are
very promising and we can now move much faster to optimise peptides
for best performance in our partners' end products and early market
entry.
Enquiries:
Plant Health Care plc
Dr Chris Richards, Executive Chairman Tel: +44 (0) 18 3788
and Interim CEO 0083
Liberum Capital - Nomad and Broker
Clayton Bush / Chris Clarke Tel: +44 (0) 20 3100
2000
Company website: www.planthealthcare.com
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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