Stewart Rosenberg, President of Bio-Investigations Ltd., has announced that agreements have been signed by The University of Connecticut, DEKALB Genetics Corporation and Bio-Investigations Ltd.

DEKALB Genetics Corporation, DeKalb, Ill., a member of the Monsanto Global Seed Group,
has received an exclusive worldwide license to develop and market corn that may combat virus
infection within poultry. The license allows DEKALB, and now the Monsanto Global Seed
Group, access to chicken interferon technology that is exclusively licensed by
Bio-Investigations Ltd. and was developed by the University of Connecticut.

Corn with sufficient levels of interferon may serve as an alternative or adjunct to vaccines as a
means of combating virus infection within poultry. Interferons (IFN) represent a family of
cytokines with a wide range of biological effects, including their action as antiviral agents and as
modulators of the immune system. In contrast to antibodies elicited by vaccines, IFN may
protect cells from the lethal action of a broad spectrum of viruses even after those viruses have
entered a cell. The University of Connecticut (UCONN) has developed a technology based on
chicken interferon.

The lead scientists on this project at UCONN are Dr. Margaret Sekellick and Dr. Philip
Marcus of the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology. ``Drs. Philip Marcus and Margaret
Sekellick have proven themselves to be outstanding researchers in the interferon field,''
indicated Rosenberg. ``When one combines their scientific expertise and capabilities as the
technology's inventors, with the proprietary position held by the University on the discovery,
and then adds the worldwide leadership position in agricultural biotechnology of DEKALB and
the Monsanto Global Seed Group, we are optimistic that there will be some significant
advances in the poultry industry as a result of this technology.''

The University of Connecticut is a public institution of higher education and is Connecticut's only
public research institution. Through its main campus in Storrs, Conn., and its health center with
both a medical and dental school, headquartered in Farmington, UCONN conducts extensive
research in the fields of both basic and clinical human medicine, veterinary sciences,
biotechnology, engineering, and a wide array of applied sciences. In 1997, UCONN received
approximately $51 million from the federal government for research and more than $7 million
from industry.

Bio-Investigations Ltd. holds the worldwide exclusive license in the field to this technology direct from the University of Connecticut. A venture capital firm heavily focused in the fields of human, veterinary, and agricultural health care, Bio-Investigations Ltd. maintains relationships with universities and corporations worldwide. The firm often takes positions in innovative technologies in the form of exclusive options or worldwide licenses.

DEKALB Genetics Corporation recently became part of the Monsanto Global Seed Group.
The global seed business is central to Monsanto's future agricultural business strategy.

``We are building a preeminent seed business capable of delivering elite germplasm coupled
with cutting-edge technology to help growers improve their productivity and to meet
ever-growing world food demands,'' said Bruce Bickner, co-president for the Monsanto Global
Seed Group. DEKALB was the first company to genetically transform corn and emerged as a
leader in the field of agricultural biotechnology.

As a life sciences company, Monsanto is committed to finding solutions to the growing global
needs for food and health by sharing common forms of science and technology among
agriculture, nutrition and health. The company's more than 30,000 employees worldwide make
and market high-value agricultural products, pharmaceuticals and food ingredients.

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