MustGrow and Janssen PMP, a division of Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, form exclusive global partnership

Date:04-21-2022

MustGrow Biologics Corp. (CSE: MGRO) (OTC: MGROF) (FRA: 0C0) (the “Company“, “MustGrow“), and JANSSEN PMP, a division of Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) (“Janssen PMP“) have signed an Exclusive Evaluation and Option Agreement (the “Agreement“) to test and develop MustGrow’s biological mustard plant-based technologies for certain postharvest food preservation storage applications globally.

Pursuant to the Agreement, MustGrow has granted Janssen PMP the exclusive right to test MustGrow’s mustard-based technologies for postharvest storage preservation of fruits and vegetables globally, excluding grains, potatoes, bananas and shipping container fumigation.  The Agreement also specifies that Janssen PMP will fund and drive all application testing and development work.

Fruit and vegetable crops play a critical role in global food nutrition. More than one-third of produce (approximately US$1 trillion) is lost or wasted in postharvest operations,⁽¹⁾ which includes loss attributed to fungal and bacterial diseases. Fresh vegetables are highly perishable living tissues that are particularly susceptible. Postharvest fungal and bacterial diseases can cause annual vegetable crop losses of 40–60% ⁽²⁾. Reducing postharvest losses could substantially increase food availability, reducing pressure on the mounting food supply shortage and global inflationary pressures with respect to food prices. In addition, food production could be more environmentally sustainable with less waste.   

“Being able to control postharvest pathogens with an effective natural volatile such as MustGrow’s mustard-based technologies could be an important market development. Decay control remains a necessity on many fruits and vegetables globally to reduce waste and to support fresh produce trading locally and internationally”, said Geoffroy de Chabot-Tramecourt, Director R&D and Business Development at Janssen PMP.

“Food preservation is a critical global issue. We believe that using our technology as a postharvest treatment in fruits and vegetables may be beneficial to help secure an environmentally sustainable and less wasteful food supply. We are very excited to work with Janssen PMP as they bring more than 50 years of relevant market experience. We anticipate that working together to advance our technology, not only in research and development, but also in potential commercial applications, will assist with driving our strategic path forward”,  MustGrow CEO Corey Giasson remarked.

In parrallel with the Agreement and as previously announced, MustGrow and its existing partners continue to conduct field trials, R&D, and regulatory development on postharvest food preservation applications for other market segments with leading agriculture companies including, but not limited to, Bayer in Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (for potatoes storage) and Sumitomo Corporation in the Americas (for potatoes and bananas storage).

Sources:

1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5296677/
2) https://www.intechopen.com/online-first/79995