Origin Agritech Showcases Advanced Biotechnology Capabilities and Announces Landmark Partnership at International Seed Industry Conference

SANYA, China, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Origin Agritech Ltd. (NASDAQ: SEED) (the "Company" or "Origin"), a leading Chinese agricultural technology company, today announced significant advances in its biotechnology breeding program and a groundbreaking partnership during the 4th Sanya International Seed Industry Scientist Conference and 2025 International Seed Industry Technology Expo.

During his keynote presentation at the conference's Corn Seed Forum, Origin CEO Yan Weibin outlined the Company's strategic vision and latest achievements. "Building long-term strengths and becoming a high-tech seed service company led by biotechnology is Origin's first consideration," stated Mr. Yan. "We are committed to developing into an international seed enterprise with strong scientific research capabilities, team strength, market awareness, variety portfolio, and service capabilities."

In a significant development, Origin announced a three-way partnership with China Agricultural University, the world's top-ranked institution in agricultural science, and the Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences. This partnership establishes a comprehensive research and development initiative focused on corn "smart plant type" improvement and innovative variety development.

"By uniting the strengths of these prestigious institutions with Origin Agritech's biotechnology capabilities, we are creating a powerhouse for agricultural innovation," said Yan. "This partnership represents a collaboration that will reshape the future of corn development and smart plant technology."

Key Achievements and Capabilities:

• Establishment of four provincial and ministerial R&D platforms with research bases in Beijing, Hainan, and Henan
• Development of a large-scale corn genetic platform for efficient functional gene exploration
• Creation of the world's first corn haploid induction line Hi3 gene editing technology system in collaboration with "Science Exploration Award" winner Professor Tian Feng
• Accumulation of nearly 300,000 corn germplasm resources
• Authorization for multiple gene editing traits, including leaf angle, plant height, and rust resistance
• Obtaining the second-generation BT and GT GMO corn BBL2-2 biosafety certificate in May 2024
• Establishing the "Origin Marker Biological Breeding Service Consortium" with China Golden Marker Biotechnology Co., Ltd. and launching four comprehensive biotechnology services: BBL2-2 transgenic applications, molecular marker and variety improvement, gene editing trait improvement, and corn mutant library applications

"China's seed industry is at a crucial juncture in biotechnology breeding," added Mr. Yan. "Origin is committed to continuing our substantial R&D investments and providing leading biotechnology services for the seed industry while embracing digital and information technologies to enable multi-dimensional industrial development."

Images from the conference are available on the Company's X account: https://x.com/origin_agritech.

About Origin Agritech Limited
Origin Agritech Limited, founded in 1997 and headquartered in Zhong-Guan-Cun (ZGC) Life Science Park in Beijing, is a leading Chinese agricultural technology company. In crop seed biotechnologies, Origin Agritech's phytase corn was the first transgenic corn to receive the Bio-Safety Certificate from China's Ministry of Agriculture. Over the years, Origin has established a robust biotechnology seed pipeline, including products with glyphosate tolerance and pest resistance (Bt) traits. For further information, please visit the Company's website at www.originagritech.com. The Company also maintains an X account for updating investors on Company and industry developments which is https://x.com/origin_agritech.

For more information, please contact:
Origin Agritech Limited Contact:
Kate Lang (Mandarin/English)
Director of Investor Relations
Phone: +86 186-1839-3368
Email: [email protected]

Investor Relations Contact:
Matthew Abenante, IRC
President
Strategic Investor Relations, LLC
Tel: 347-947-2093
Email: [email protected]