pioneer

AGERI / Pioneer Collaboration
The Egyptian agricultural sector is in the process of major change. The government of Egypt is moving towards privatization. Transfer of technology to the private sector has occurred in the case of in vitro micropropagation of virus free potato technology. This shows the capacity and interest of the private sector to adopt new technology. This aspect of technology transfer is expected to grow dramatically in the current phase as the research program of AGERI becomes more product-oriented. In this context AGERI has initiated a collaboration with PIONEER and received a 3-year grant (starting June 1997) for: 1. Research and Training AGERI scientists (4) to be trained at PIONEER/Iowa in methodologies relating to agricultural biotechnology. 2. Potential for Product Development PIONEER granted access to evaluate certain novel Bt proteins and genes patented by AGERI.
Parties of the Agreement
	PIONEER - USA ABSP / MSU - USA	AGERI-Egypt USAID - CAIRO / Washington D.C.
PIONEER Inputs to Training Collaboration
	• Insect bioassay protocols & field evaluation/ scoring of natural and transgenic, insect resistant maize • Bt - receptor binding methodologies • Maize transformation technology with Bt genes to establish comparable research on Egyptian maize lines • Methods for molecular/protein characterization of transgenic maize to develop a program to introgress Bt genes into maize lines appropriate for Egyptian agricultural environments
AGERI Inputs to Training Collaboration
	• Proprietary Bt strains, genes & toxins including C18 • Support from the USAID funding program
Intellectual Property Rights
	• Joint discoveries resulting from the work to be shared and patent rights will be sought according to terms of the USAID agreement. • Pioneer retains sole ownership of its proprietary Bt gene(s) and proprietary germplasm. • AGERI retains sole ownership of its proprietary Bt-C18 gene(s).
Grant of Rights to PIONEER by AGERI
	Under separate agreements, AGERI shall grant to Pioneer: • Materials Transfer Agreement for Pioneer to evaluate the C18 toxin protein. • Option to Pioneer for an exclusive, commercial license: - to use the genes from C18 to develop insect resistant transgenic maize - to other novel Bt proteins and genes from AGERI identified as a result of this training.