News from BRDG Park

Dr. Jerry Caulder
2010 keynote speaker

MAY 23-24, 2011

Building on its previous successes, including a 28 percent increase in attendance last year, the third annual Ag Innovation Showcase will be held May 23 and 24, 2011 at the Danforth Plant Science Center.

Presented by BRDG Park and others, the Ag Innovation Showcase is the leading annual global event for agriculture's industry leaders, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and investors.

A real "who's who" in worldwide agriculture, it promotes emerging technologies in ag-bio, food and nutrition, biofuels, sustainable materials, clean-tech, animal health and information technology.

Highlights include extensive networking sessions, as well as thought-provoking keynote speeches and panel discussions featuring leading experts on topics spanning the spectrum of current ag science and industry issues.

More information is available at www.agshowcase.com

HELIX CENTER INCUBATOR FOR
PLANT AND LIFE SCIENCE COMPANIES OPENING IN 2011

St. Louis County Economic Council will strengthen St. Louis and the Lindbergh-Olive corridor as the hub of plant and life science with its plan to open in 2011 a 33,000-square-foot plant and life science incubator on the perimeter of BRDG Park.

To be known as the Helix Center, the incubator will offer early stage ventures office and wet and dry lab space. Plans include eventually adding a walkway connection to the campus of BRDG Park and Danforth Plant Science Center.

In addition, a $1.5 million fund called the Helix Fund has been launched by St. Louis County to provide seed money for plant and life science startups.

More information is available at www.slcec.com.

NIDUS FOCUSES ON COMMERCIALIZING NEW TECHNOLOGIES

One of BRDG Park's original tenants has evolved into a new entity to focus on advancing technologies in the agricultural and energy fields.

Nidus Investment Partners is a unique partnership aligned with regional business interests to attract and grow early-stage technology-based companies. An innovative business model, it links life science entrepre- neurs with commercial opportunities to advance early-stage technologies toward commercialization.

Corporations as the limited partners help define the technology focus, which is currently in the areas of energy and agriculture. Nidus leverages both risk capital and entrepreneurial talent to help meet market needs of potential buyers by providing the funding, experience and market input necessary to improve prospects for near-term return on investment and reduce exit risk for fledgling science enterprises.

More information is available at www.niduspartners.com.

DIVERGENCE RECEIVES ST. LOUIS COUNTY TECHNOLOGY AWARD

Divergence, Inc., a leader in the discovery of products for the control of parasites and other pests in agriculture and medicine and one of the original tenants at BRDG Park, recently received the 2010 Dr. William D. Phillips Technology Award from the St. Louis County Economic Council.

The award was presented St. Louis County Executive Charlie A. Dooley, Economic Council President and Chief Executive Officer Denny G. Coleman, and Chairperson Sheila Sweeney.

"We are grateful to the St. Louis County Economic Council not only for the award but, more importantly, for the support the County has provided Divergence over the years," said Derek Rapp, Chief Executive Officer of Divergence.

"Divergence benefits from state-of-the-art laboratory, office, and greenhouse facilities at BRDG Park and access to a community of talented scientists and advisors in the Greater St. Louis Metropolitan Area," said Rapp. "All of these assets are essential ingredients of our accomplishments."

If you have any further questions, please feel free to send me an email at Editor@BRDG-Park.com

Fall 2010

BRDG Park Rolls Out Welcome Mat for Special Programs, Guests and Events

As a center for the commercialization of leading-edge plant and life science technologies, BRDG Park has been pleased to host and participate in a wide variety of special programs, events and visits over the past few months. Highlights include:

An elegant cocktail reception in November for new tenant Phycal LLC, featuring co-founders Dr. Kevin Berner and Dr. Richard Sayre, was well-attended by prominent leaders from the area's business, financial and scientific community.

Phycal team members

BRDG Park, in cooperation with the sponsoring Danforth Plant Science Center, served as a venue for World Food Day in October, when approximately 1,900 volunteers packaged 355,000 meals for malnourished people living in Sub-Saharan Africa. It was a great opportunity for St. Louisans to do something tangible for world hunger, while learning more about the region's growing importance as a worldwide center of plant science.

World Food Day volunteers checked in at BRDG Park

Various high level government leaders in business and agriculture have visited BRDG Park in recent months. Dignitaries have included U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development, John Fernandez; U.S. Department of Agriculture's Senior Director of Agriculture Research Services, Edward Knipling; U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, and Brazil's Consul General, the Honorable Joaó Almino.

BRDG Park has been the site for meetings of leading business and industry organizations, including a special briefing and tour for Monsanto's senior public relations leadership team, which included a visit to the company's space in Building I. BRDG has also hosted various workshops presented by the St. Louis Community College
Center for Plant & Life Sciences.

Guests have gained a greater appreciation for the Research + Resources + Relationships provided by BRDG Park to help promising plant and life science companies achieve commercial success, while receiving a warm welcome from BRDG
Park staff and other tenants in the building, who generously open their doors for tours.

BRDG Park Is Growth Catalyst for
New Tenants: Novus International, Global Patent Group and Golden Soy

A vibrant scientific environment to grow and prosper is crucial to commercial scientific start-ups and professionals who work with them - and that's just what they find at BRDG Park. Three new tenants - Novus International's Stratum Nutrition and Arenus divisions, Global Patent Group LLC, and Golden Soy LLC - have all found the unique offerings of BRDG Park ideally suited to their businesses.

Shared Interest in Improving Nutrition

Novus Nutrition Brands, LLC, a subsidiary of Novus International, Inc., is establishing a lab at BRDG Park for its Stratum Nutrition and Arenus divisions, focusing on basic research and applications testing in food and dietary supplement for Stratum Nutrition and expanding R&D activities in pet foods and equine supplements for Arenus.

According to Novus, the new lab will help create a synergy and symbiotic relationship with existing companies at BRDG Park and scientists at the Danforth Plant Science Center. Stratum Nutrition focuses on human nutrition through branded specialty and functional ingredients for foods, beverages, and dietary supplements. Arenus produces multifunctional products for horses and dogs that are part of the equine and companion animal communities.

"The presence of these labs within BRDG Park allows us to strengthen our relationship with those who share a common interest in addressing the world food challenges," said Ibrahim Abou-Nemeh, Ph.D., Director R&D, Product Discovery, Novus International, Inc.

Strategic Location at International Center of Life Sciences

For Global Patent Group, LLC, an intellectual property law firm serving plant and life sciences and clean energy industries around the world, BRDG Park's location at the Danforth Plant Science Center is a strategic advantage. "We see cutting-edge science being conducted every day and there's a remarkable amount of synergy due to the strategic mix of research scientists, venture organizations, and start-up companies," said Dennis Bennett, founder and managing partner of Global Patent Group. "As a leading catalyst for the growth and development of St. Louis as an international life sciences center of excellence, there is a tremendous amount of energy here at BRDG Park."

With a full staff of attorneys, patent agents, MBA and Ph.D. consultants, Global Patent Group gives clients real-world experience managing U.S. and international intellectual property matters and bringing innovative new products to market. The firm provides legal and business advice around new business start-up, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, patent registration and patent litigation.

"Global Patent Group's presence underscores the multi-faceted vitality of BRDG Park, where companies and organizations benefit from regular interaction and collaboration with others on the leading edge of science innovation," said Sam Fiorello, President of BRDG Park.

On-Site Access to Specialized Equipment & Skilled Interns

For Golden Soy LLC, a commercial start-up focused on developing new immune-based pharmaceuticals from plant derived components to combat infectious, autoimmune diseases and cancer, a key advantage at BRDG Park is easy access to the St. Louis Community College Center for Plant and Life Sciences.

"Being located at BRDG Park is great for an emerging life science company our size," said Dr. Marina Pestova, President of Golden Soy. "BRDG gives us access to state-of-the-art instrumentation, centrifuges and fume hoods at the St. Louis Community College Center for Plant and Life Sciences located at BRDG, plus highly-skilled students from the college's on-site workforce development and training program have served as interns at no cost to us," That's an added bonus -- these interns are paid through a special St. Louis Community College National Science Foundation grant, a huge advantage to a small new start-up.

The new tenants exemplify how BRDG Park's focus on Research + Resources + Relationships is creating a unique tenant mix with a special synergy. "We're doing more than leasing world-class wet labs and office space in a LEED Gold facility adjacent to the world's largest independent plant research institute and across the street from Monsanto's international corporate headquarters," said Fiorello. "We're an innovation catalyst for plant and life science companies - and for other professionals who help them grow."