Athenix Corp., a leading biotechnology company developing novel products, technologies, and processes for agricultural and chemical applications, announced today it has completed successful field trials of transgenic plants containing proprietary glyphosate tolerance genes. Athenix has discovered a new class of genes that provide high levels of tolerance to glyphosate, a herbicide commonly used to kill weeds. Results from these field trials demonstrate that plants expressing these genes can withstand 16 times the amount of glyphosate recommended for currently available glyphosate tolerant corn.

"These remarkably successful field trials mark a major product development milestone for Athenix. Herbicide tolerance is one of our key products. And, while important in its own right, when combined with our nematode and insect resistance technologies, these genes allow Athenix to provide the Crop Production Industry with the most advanced trait stack products," said Mike Koziel, President and CEO of Athenix.

"Athenix has successfully demonstrated the efficacy of its proprietary genes in plants under field conditions. This breakthrough allows Athenix to move quickly towards the introduction of this trait into our other key crops," added Nadine Carozzi, Vice President of Product Development of Athenix.

Athenix has discovered the next-generation of glyphosate tolerance genes and has filed for broad patent protection on this new class of genes and the proteins they encode. The genes tested in the field this year represent the first in a newly discovered class of genes which encode enzymes capable of providing high levels of tolerance to the popular herbicide glyphosate. Crops tolerant to this herbicide have been rapidly adopted by growers worldwide and demand continues to grow.

Athenix is a leading biotechnology company that discovers and develops novel products, technologies, and processes for the agricultural and chemical businesses. Athenix is focused on developing enhanced plants, microbes, enzymes and processes with emphasis on two major market opportunities: 1) the discovery of genes and proteins for novel input traits such as insect resistance, nematode resistance, and herbicide tolerance, and their use to develop transgenic plants for the Crop Production Industry; and 2) the discovery of genes and proteins for use in the Chemical and Animal Feed Industries.