Unigen Partners with Botanical Liaisons

Unigen Partners with Botanical Liaisons

BROOMFIELD, Colo.--Botanical Liaisons LLC andUnigen Pharmaceuticals reached an agreement to study traditional medicine andsearch for new products in countries including Belize, Cameroon, Peru, Tanzaniaand the United States. Botanical Liaisons will identify, collect and supplymedicinal plants, with voucher specimens, and submit information to Unigen forresearch and product development. Unigen will screen the plants for biologicalactivities, isolate and purify actives, and develop drug leads and commercialproducts.

"It is strategically important for Unigen to work with acompany like Botanical Liaisons with solid expertise in ethnobotanicalresearch," said Qi Jia, vice president of scientific affairs for Unigen (www.unigenpharma.com)."The plant collection program brings ecological, economical and culturaldiversities to Unigen's discovery platform, and the addition of BotanicalLiaisons will extend our reach."

The companies noted the work will comply with terms of the"Convention on Biological Diversity" that include benefit sharing andrecognition of the value of traditional knowledge. They added both companieswould exercise a comprehensive approach to conservation and sustainable use ofmedicinal plants indigenous to the source countries.