"L'Istituto Internazionale di Ricerca sul Riso comincia il test del Golden Rice"

dal Syngenta Web Site

22 January 2001. Samples of 'Golden Rice', a genetically modified rice containing beta-carotene and other carotenoids, have now been delivered to the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Los Baños, Philippines. IRRI scientists will now begin the research which will form part of an international program to investigate the safety and utility of 'Golden Rice' in combating Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD), which is responsible for 500,000 cases of irreversible blindness and 1-2 million deaths annually.

IRRI's Director-General, Dr Ronald P. Cantrell said, "The arrival of these initial samples at IRRI is a very significant step and allows us to finally start on the required testing processes using local rice varieties. IRRI expects to play a major role in the ongoing 'Golden Rice" research effort and its eventual introduction to the world's millions of poor rice farmers and consumers."

The delivery of 'Golden Rice' from the inventors' laboratories in Europe was possible as a result of the donation of intellectual property licences from; Syngenta Seeds AG, Syngenta Ltd, Bayer AG, Monsanto Company Inc., Orynova BV, and Zeneca Mogen BV. Each company has licensed free-of-charge technology used in the research which led to the 'Golden Rice' invention. Subject to further research, initially in the developing countries of Asia, as well as local regulatory clearances, 'Golden Rice' can then be made available free-of-charge for humanitarian uses in any developing nation.

Professor Ingo Potrykus, co-inventor of 'Golden Rice', said, "Vitamin A Deficiency remains a very important health problem which no current remedy completely addresses. Peter Beyer and I are very pleased that these companies have provided essential support to assist our long held intent of donating this potentially beneficial invention to those countries where Vitamin A Deficiency causes hundreds of thousands of cases of irreversible blindness every year ".

In order to further expedite the introduction of 'Golden Rice' to developing countries, a 'Humanitarian Board' has been established, comprised of a number of public and private sector organizations. The Humanitarian Board has four principal aims:

• to support the inventors in making 'Golden Rice' freely available to those that need it, consistent with the highest standards of safety assessment
• to ensure the proper investigation of 'Golden Rice' as one potential solution to Vitamin A Deficiency
• to support individual developing countries and their national research institutes as they assess their interest in 'Golden Rice'
• to facilitate information sharing between 'Golden Rice' projects in different parts of the world.

The Humanitarian Board is chaired by Professor Potrykus and also includes his co-inventor of 'Golden Rice', Professor Peter Beyer. Other members of the Board are: Dr Ronnie Coffman, Cornell University; Dr Adrian Dubock, Syngenta (Secretary); Dr William Padolina, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI); Dr Ashok Seth, Rural Development Unit, South Asia Region of the World Bank; and Dr Gary Toenniessen, Director of Food Security at the Rockefeller Foundation. Dr Katharina Jenny, Indo-Swiss Collaboration in Biotechnology, ETH, Zurich, is an observer to the Board. Each individual on the Humanitarian Board retains his/her independent advisory status.

This is an exciting new type of public-private sector collaboration, formed specifically to further an important scientific breakthrough in the 'development' field.

Licences for further development will now be granted to other public sector research institutes. The technology can then be transferred to local rice varieties for biosafety and efficacy testing which is expected to take at least another four years.

Information for Editors

• Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD): Vitamin A is one of the most important nutrients for the maintenance of life and health. Consequently, dietary lack or deficiency of Vitamin A (VAD) leads to severe clinical symptoms. In Southeast Asia it is estimated that five million children develop xerophthalmia (alteration in the structure of the conjunctiva and cornea found predominantly in children) every year. This problem may be equally severe in certain areas of Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. VAD also plays an important role in measles-associated corneal destruction, the most common cause of paediatric blindness in Africa (Foster and Sommer, 1987, Brit. Opthalmol. 71:331-343). Overall, around 500,000 children annually become irreversibly blind as a result of VAD.

According to statistics compiled by UNICEF, the diets of an estimated 124 million children worldwide are deficient in Vitamin A (Humphrey et al, 1992, WHO Bulletin, 70: 225-232). Improved Vitamin A nutrition could be expected to prevent approximately 1-2 million deaths annually among children aged 1-4 years, and an additional 0.25-0.5 million deaths during later childhood. VAD is known to be a serious public health problem in at least 26 countries, and is suspected to be in at least 13 more (Sommer, 1988, J.Nutr. 119: 96-100).

• 'Golden Rice' is a genetically modified rice containing beta-carotene and other carotenoids, precursors of Vitamin A, and is one potential solution to the problem of VAD. Alternative VAD alleviation strategies include improved diet, through the intake of green vegetables and animal products, or the use of vitamin pills.

• The inventors of 'Golden Rice' are Professor Ingo Potrykus of the Institute for Plant Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich, Switzerland, and Professor Peter Beyer of the Centre for Applied Biosciences, University of Freiburg, Germany.

• The 'Golden Rice' technology was developed with funding from the Rockefeller Foundation (1991-2002), the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (1993-1996), the European Union under a European Community Biotech Programme (FAIR CT96 1633)(1996-2000) and the Swiss Federal Office for Education and Science (1996-2000).

• The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), with its headquarters in the Philippines and offices in 11 other countries, is the world's leading international rice research and training center. It is an autonomous, nonprofit institution that is focused on improving the well-being of present and future generations of rice farmers and consumers, particularly those with low incomes, while preserving natural resources. IRRI is part of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), an association of public and private donor agencies that funds 16 international research centers. For more information visit the CGIAR (www.cgiar.org) or Future Harvest websites (www.futureharvest.org). Future Harvest is a nonprofit organization that builds awareness and supports food and environmental research for a world with less poverty, a healthier human family, well-nourished children, and a better environment. Future Harvest supports research, promotes partnerships, and sponsors projects that bring the results of agricultural research to rural communities, farmers, and families in Africa, Latin America, and Asia.

• The Rockefeller Foundation is a philanthropic organization (www.rockfound.org) affirming John D. Rockefeller's original mandate "to promote the well-being of mankind throughout the world." The Rockefeller Foundation is a knowledge-based, global foundation with a commitment to enrich and sustain the lives and livelihoods of poor and excluded people throughout the world.

• Syngenta is the world's leading agribusiness. The company ranks first in crop protection, and third in the high-value commercial seeds market. Pro forma sales in 1999 were approximately US $7 billion. Syngenta employs more than 20,000 people in over 50 countries. The company is committed to sustainable agriculture through innovative Research and Technology. Formed in November 2000 by the merger of Novartis Agribusiness and Zeneca Agrochemicals, Syngenta is listed on the Swiss stock exchange, and in London, New York, Stockholm. Further information is available at www.syngenta.com.

This public-private sector partnership was initiated by Zeneca Ltd when part of AstraZeneca. Zeneca Ltd, now Syngenta Ltd, is now part of Syngenta group - see above note.

• Bayer AG is an international, research-based group with major businesses in health care, agriculture, polymers and specialty chemicals. With some 120,000 employees worldwide, the Group recorded net income of EUR 2 billion on sales of EUR 27.3 billion in 1999. For the year 2000, EUR 2.4 billion have been budgeted for capital expenditures and EUR 2.2 billion for research and development. Bayer's Crop Protection Business Group is one of the world's leading suppliers of crop protection products, with sales in 1999 of EUR 2.2 billion. Further information is available at www.agro.bayer.com.

• Monsanto Company Inc., an 85 percent owned subsidiary of Pharmacia Corporation (NYSE:PHA), is a leading global provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality. For more information on Monsanto, see: www.monsanto.com.

• Orynova B.V. (Leiden, The Netherlands), established in 1999, commercialises rice varieties with improved protection against pests and diseases, improved yield, and healthy and high quality rice. These rice varieties are the result of research and development in biotechnology and breeding carried out by Orynova K.K. (Iwata, Japan).

• Zeneca Mogen BV is a subsidiary research company of Syngenta, based at Leiden, The Netherlands.

• GOLDEN RICE POBEY and CARAT GOLDEN RICE are registered trademarks of the Syn-genta group. Rights to use Golden Rice Pobey will be licensed free for use in conjunction with the Humanitarian Project.