Allylix to commercialize novel specialty chemical

Contact: Emily Anderson, Cook + Schmid
619-814-2370, eanderson@cookandschmid.com

Product Sales: Peter W. Mueller, Allylix Inc. VP Sales & Marketing
317-730-5707, pmueller@allylix.com

Editor's note: Allylix is an industrial biotech company that has its R&D lab at the UK Coldstream Research Campus. Allylix uses proprietary yeast-based fermentation technology developed by the UK College of Agriculture and the Salk Institute for Biological Sciences to produce a group of natural products called terpenes in greater quantities, of higher quality, and at significantly lower cost than traditional sources.

Epivone™ terpene not previously available

SAN DIEGO (March 12, 2012) — Allylix Inc., a San Diego-based specialty chemicals company, announced its development and upcoming commercialization of Epivone™ (epi-beta-vetivone), a rare and highly valuable terpene that will initially be commercialized for use in fragrance applications. Revenue for similar terpene molecules used in fragrance applications is estimated between $20 and $200 million dollars per year.

Epivone™ is structurally related to beta-vetivone, one of the key components of vetiver oil, an essential oil with a rich, woody aroma. Epivone™ has never been commercially available because it cannot be produced synthetically in a cost effective manner. Using its proprietary biosynthetic production methods, Allylix has produced and is now the first company to offer Epivone™ in a highly purified form. Through its pioneering work in this area, Allylix has obtained significant intellectual property surrounding Epivone™, including the recent issuance of several patents.

Allylix’s Epivone™ compound has been evaluated by several prestigious perfumers and has been described by them as having good character and strength at one percent dilution with an odor characterized as woody, vetiver, cassis, rich yet fruity and containing a grapefruit effect. Experienced perfumers have found that Epivone™ is substantive on a perfumer blotter for around 500 hours, and expect it to be applicable in cologne, hair care and personal care fragrance applications.

“Epivone™ is a highly valuable compound,” said Carolyn Fritz, Allylix’s CEO, “and because we own the patents claiming the fragrance and its novel production method, we expect to be the only commercial supplier of Epivone™.”

The biotechnology firm’s propriety fermentation technology platform allows it to produce a variety of high value terpenes and other specialty chemicals across different industries at low cost with sustainable supply.

Allylix expects to initiate production of Epivone™ in commercial quantities in the third quarter 2012.

About Allylix Inc.
Allylix Inc. is a specialty chemicals company developing terpene products and their derivatives for the flavor and fragrance, food ingredients, insect repellents, agricultural, cosmetics and other markets. Allylix’s platform technology produces high-value natural terpenes in greater quantities, of higher quality, and at significantly lower cost than traditional sources. The company’s technology also allows for the production of novel specialty chemicals, applicable to a wide variety of industries. For more information, visit www.allylix.com.