Perdue, Bev. Press Release, 2010-08-10, Plant-Based Vaccine Company to Bring 85 Jobs to Research Triangle

Beverly Eaves Perdue Governor State of North Carolina Office of the Governor 20301 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699-0301 August 10, 2010 Contact: Chris Mackey Office: (919) 733-5612 Plant-Based Vaccine Company to Bring 85 Jobs to Research Triangle State Grant Helps Medicago Locate in Durham County RALEIGH - Gov. Bev Perdue today announced that Medicago [Med-ih-CAH-go] USA Ine. will locate a new vaccine production facility in Durham. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Medicago, Ine., a publicly traded company based in Quebec, Canada. The firm plans to create 85 jobs in Research Triangle Park. The project was made possible in part by a S 128,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded Medicago a $2 1 million research grant to improve the process of large-quantity H 1 N 1 vaccine production using plant-based technology. The company is currently using tobacco leaves to produce pandemic and seasonal influenza vaccines. Medieago’s project with DARPA will lead to a total investment of more than S32 million in Research Triangle Park. “Bringing jobs to North Carolina is my No. 1 priority, and part of that mission is seeking out innovative businesses to increase our workforce opportunities,” said Gov. Perdue. “This exciting project represents the best of the biotechnology sector: creating jobs that use new technology to transform a traditional North Carolina product - tobacco - into vaccines for H IN 1 and other dangerous flu viruses.” Medicago USA is developing vaccines for humans based on two proprietary technologies; plant-based manufacturing technology and its virus-like-particles (VLPs). VLPs can be rapidly and efficiently