Agrivida, Inc., an innovative technology company focused on animal nutrition, announced today that it has completed a $23 million Series D funding to advance the development and commercialization of its proprietary GraINzyme® feed additive enzymes and INergy™ silage technology platforms.

Cultivian Sandbox Ventures led the round and was joined in the investment group by an affiliate of Maschhoff Family Foods, ARCH Venture Partners, Middleland Capital and existing investors Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, DAG Ventures, Bright Capital Partners, Gentry Venture Partners, Northgate Capital, Prairie Gold and private investors.

“We are excited to have this group of investors who are committed to our animal nutrition strategy and technology that will deliver unique enzyme solutions,” said Dan Meagher, CEO of Agrivida. “By using the corn plant as our factory combined with our proprietary technology, we aim to create a compelling value proposition to the producers of meat, milk and eggs to help address the growing global demand for food.”

“Agrivida products offer dramatically improved cost performance while simplifying production, slashing capital expenditure requirements and reducing the carbon footprint of fermentation produced enzymes,” added Ron Meeusen, managing director of Cultivian Sandbox. “Agrivida holds the potential to disrupt this lucrative and growing feed enzyme market.”

With this financing, Agrivida will further expand its capabilities, expertise and leadership team; advance its regulatory and product development; and focus on developing strategic commercial partnerships based on its proprietary GraINzyme® and INergyTM technology platforms. The funding will further support commercialization of its first products targeted for 2016.

About Agrivida

Agrivida, Inc., headquartered in Medford, Mass., is the global commercial leader in developing integrated enzyme solutions for the animal nutrition and health, energy and consumer products industries. The company has entered into research and development agreements with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), ARPA–E, the USDA, and other partner companies. With expertise in protein engineering, molecular biology, plant biotechnology, agronomy, and chemical engineering, Agrivida is developing innovative, sustainable crops and processes to meet demands for global food, consumer products and energy needs while protecting the environment. Additional information on the company can be found at www.agrivida.com.

E-mail: pr@agrivida.com

Agrivida, Inc., an innovative technology company focused on animal nutrition, announced today that it has raised $12 million as part of a Series D financing to advance the development and commercialization of its proprietary GraINzyme® feed additive enzymes and INergyTM silage technology platforms. Cultivian Sandbox Ventures led the round. An affiliate of Maschhoff Family Foods, Middleland Capital and Sontag Family Trust joined as new Series D investors while Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, DAG Ventures, Bright Capital Partners, Gentry Venture Partners, Northgate Capital and PrairieGold Venture Partners also participated.

“We view Agrivida as a very attractive investment and we like the company, strategy, direction and technology platforms,” said Ron Meeusen, Managing Partner of Cultivian Sandbox Ventures LLC. “We believe in the company’s strategy of delivering unique enzyme solutions that can help improve the economic efficiency of the global food system and industrial products used.”

“The commitment and confidence of our investors will help us advance our animal nutrition strategy,” said Dan Meagher, CEO of Agrivida. “By using the corn plant as our factory combined with our proprietary technology, we aim to create a compelling value proposition to the producers of meat, milk and eggs to help address the global demand for food. In a short period of time we have developed commercial partnership interest in our proprietary GraINzyme® and INergyTM technology platforms, confirming our vision and focus are on target.”

About Agrivida

Agrivida, Inc., headquartered in Medford, Mass., is the global commercial leader in developing integrated enzyme solutions for the animal nutrition and health, energy and consumer products industries. The company has entered into research and development agreements with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), ARPA–E, the USDA, and other partner companies. With expertise in protein engineering, molecular biology, plant biotechnology, agronomy, and chemical engineering, Agrivida is developing innovative, sustainable crops and processes to meet demands for global food, consumer products and energy needs while protecting the environment. Additional information on the company can be found at www.agrivida.com.

E-mail: pr@agrivida.com

Research Triangle Park, North Carolina and Medford, Massachusetts, March 10, 2014–Precision BioSciences and Agrivida revealed today that they have entered into a trait development collaboration based on precise gene modifications made possible by Precision’s Directed Nuclease EditorTM (DNE) Technology. The collaboration recently delivered the first modified genes that are the subject of Agrivida commercialization efforts in the area of animal nutrition. Financial and other terms were not disclosed.

Agrivida is very pleased with the functional performance of Precision’s DNE technology. “The efficiency, ease-of-use, and the demonstrated utility of the technology confirm the important role that precise genome engineering will have in the future of agricultural biotechnology,” says Mike Lanahan, Agrivida VP of Business Development, Animal Nutrition. “Agrivida anticipates ongoing trait development using the technology in the collaboration with Precision.”

“Precision is excited by Agrivida’s results and we are thrilled to be working with an innovator in animal nutrition such as Agrivida,” says Matthew Kane, Precision CEO. “We are optimistic that the combination Agrivida’s unique understanding of plant metabolism and Precision’s DNE gene editing technology can be utilized to develop a strong pipeline of greatly needed agricultural product candidates.”

Dan Meagher, Agrivida CEO, says, “The opportunity for improving the nutritional characteristics of crops for the dairy and beef market segments is significant. Our results indicate that Precision technology has delivered a compositional modification that will benefit the industry by increasing the productivity of ruminant animals that consume plants expressing our trait.”

About Precision BioSciences

Precision BioSciences’ mission is to continually provide, improve, and enable the world’s most powerful genome engineering technology. Precision’s proprietary Directed Nuclease EditorTM (DNE) technology enables the production of genome editing enzymes that can insert, remove, modify, and regulate essentially any gene in mammalian or plant cells.

Precision BioSciences’ vision is to be the conduit through which the world’s greatest genome engineering challenges are solved. Precision has successfully utilized its DNE technology to create innovative products in partnerships with many of the world’s largest biopharmaceutical and agbiotech firms. Internally, Precision is developing DNE-based product leads for agricultural, biologics manufacturing and human therapeutic applications. For additional information, please visit www.precisionbiosciences.com.

About Agrivida

Agrivida’s mission is to deliver a New Generation of Enzyme Solutions where our technologies will play a role in helping feed the world more efficiently, improve resource utilization and foster environmental stewardship via the work of our dedicated employees.

Agrivida is developing and commercializing high-performance products that incorporate novel, regulated proteins precisely engineered for specific applications in a variety of markets, including animal nutrition, bio-based fuels and chemicals, and industrial enzymes. Agrivida is transforming the economics of industrial and agricultural production through our pioneering use of regulated enzymes to develop higher-efficiency, lower-cost biomass feedstock and intermediate inputs. For additional information, please visit www.agrivida.com.

Contacts:

Precision BioSciences: Chelsea Lynam, phone: +1 919 314-5512
E-mail: Chelsea.Lynam@precisionbiosciences.com

Agrivida: Michael Raab, phone: +1 781 391-1262 (ext. 12)
E-mail: Michael.Raab@agrivida.com

Agrivida, Inc., a biotechnology company developing technology for animal nutrition, cellulosic sugars from biomass and regulated industrial enzymes, announced today the election of Edward L McMillan and Robert S Bucklin to the company’s Board of Directors.

Mr. McMillan was President and Chief Executive Officer of Purina Mills Inc., the United States’ largest manufacturer and distributor of animal nutrition products. A leading figure in the animal nutrition industry, Mr. McMillan served on the board of directors of the American Feed Industry Association and as Chairman of the Board in 1993-94. He serves on the board of directors of several food and agri-business related companies including Balchem Corporation (NASDAQ: BCPC); Durvet, Inc.; Newco Enterprises, Inc.; Certified Hereford Beef, LLC; and Glencoe Capital L.L.C. Consumer Products Executive Network. Mr. McMillan also serves on the board of trustees of the University of Illinois.

Mr. Bucklin was Vice Chairman of North America Wholesale banking for Rabobank International. He was responsible for the Wholesale Clients business (Corporate Banking, Mergers and Acquisitions, and Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory) and Corporate Communications function in Rabobank’s U.S., Canada, and Mexico banking operations. He retired in July 2013. Mr. Bucklin was a member of the Management Teams of Rabobank’s North America Wholesale and global Wholesale Clients International divisions. He sat on the Management Development Committee, and for 17 years was a member of the Audit Committee, for Rabobank’s North America Wholesale operations.

“Agrivida is commercializing its technology programs with multiple industry partners. I am excited that we are now adding Ed and Bob, with their strategic expertise in animal nutrition, food and agri-business financing to the Board.” stated Mark Wong, CEO and Chairman, Agrivida.

About Agrivida, Inc.

Agrivida is developing and commercializing high-performance products that incorporate novel, regulated proteins precisely engineered for specific applications in a variety of markets, including animal feed and nutrition, bio-based fuels and chemicals, and industrial enzymes. We are transforming the economics of industrial and agricultural production through our pioneering use of regulated enzymes to develop higher-efficiency, lower-cost biomass feedstocks and
intermediate inputs.