Lyon, France and Wilmington,
Delaware
April 13, 2005
DuPont Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Charles O.
Holliday, Jr. today told The World Life Sciences Forum BioVision
that biotechnology will enable the world to keep pace with the
exponential growth in human and societal needs.
"There is no
more powerful tool at our disposal for addressing global needs
than biotechnology," Holliday said.
By 2025,
demand for the world's food and fiber production will have to
double on virtually the same amount of land currently in
production, he said. There will be similar challenges for
meeting the pressing needs of health care and energy
requirements as well. Applications of biotechnology today are
demonstrating the potential of the technology to help meet these
future demands.
Holliday
discussed the role DuPont science and innovation is playing in
providing biotechnology-based pest resistant and higher yielding
crops to help meet growing global demand for grain on less
amounts of land.
DuPont is
also using bioengineering tools to create new, high-performance
materials. Scientists have discovered a way to produce
DuPont(TM) Sorona(R), the latest polymer innovation from DuPont,
using corn as a key manufacturing ingredient. Currently
produced using a petrochemical feedstock, the bio-based version
of Sorona(R) will be available to markets in 2006.
Additionally,
DuPont is actively working to leverage nutrition for the
prevention and management of disease. Recently, the company
introduced a new soybean oil to help food companies reduce trans
fats. A number of other projects are underway, including
soybeans that produce omega-3 fatty acids for better health and
research to help food companies offer better tasting and
healthier foods using biotechnology.
"It has
become convenient to talk about red, green and white
biotechnology to distinguish human, plant and industrial
applications," Holliday said. "But our experience at DuPont is
showing us that the various types of biotechnology are
interrelated. Working with an external, highly regarded
international global panel of scientists, ethicists, policy
influencers, NGOs, and other business leaders, we have
established a set of guiding principles that we use to bring
the products of our research to the marketplace."
The World Life Sciences Forum
BioVision is an international platform, bringing together
representatives from society, science, and industry in equal
numbers, to discuss, debate and put forth proposals on the major
international issues concerning the future of health, food and
the environment. Held every two years, the Forum and its
associated events have grown from 1,200 participants in
BioVision 1999 to an anticipated 4,500 participants in BioVision
2005.
Link:
Full text of the Holliday remarks as prepared for delivery at
BioVision 2005.
DuPont
(NYSE: DD) is a science company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts
science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a
better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating
in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of
innovative products and services for markets including
agriculture, nutrition, electronics, communications, safety and
protection, home and construction, transportation and apparel.
The DuPont
Oval, DuPont(TM) and The miracles of science(TM) and Sorona(R)
are registered trademarks or trademarks of DuPont or its
affiliates. |