Phyton Biotech Unifies International Operations Under New Leadership

Restructuring, Appointment of New President Supports Company
Growth, Diversified Operations

VANCOUVER, Canada–(BUSINESS WIRE)–DFB Pharmaceuticals, a Fort Worth, Texas-based private investment group
with an entrepreneurial drive for developing new products and businesses
in health care, announced the promotion of Colin Marr to President of
Phyton Ltd., the world’s leader in commercial-scale plant cell
fermentation technology and DFB’s wholly-owned subsidiary.

“I am very pleased to promote Colin to the role of president of Phyton
Biotech, overseeing both the Canadian and German divisions of the
company and a long-term strategy focused on its overall growth and
diversification,” said Paul Dorman, Chairman and CEO of DFB
Pharmaceuticals. “As Phyton Biotech continues to build its business and
broaden its offerings to better serve its global customers, we needed to
bring its international operations together under a single point of
leadership. We are confident that Colin’s extensive experience as a
veteran biotechnology executive and his vision will be tremendous assets
to Phyton Biotech and that under his leadership, the company will
continue to be a growing and successful CDMO enterprise.”

Over the last 25 years, Phyton Biotech has been at the forefront of
innovation and excellence in biotechnology by harnessing the potential
of phytochemicals through its plant cell fermentation technology
solution, called PCF®. The company is globally recognized for
revolutionizing the manufacturing process for Paclitaxel (one of the
world’s most important anti-cancer drugs) from plant cell cultures using
PCF®. Its model is now considered the gold standard around the globe and
Phyton Biotech is now the world’s largest producer of Paclitaxel and
Docetaxel via PCF®, with the capacity to meet more than one-third of the
global demand for these critical active pharmaceutical ingredients.

In recent years, Phyton Biotech has been expanding its scope beyond the
production of taxanes and into the commercial development and
manufacture of other valuable plant-derived compounds via PCF® across
various industries. Phyton Biotech’s new corporate structure and
leadership change will enable the company to better position itself,
leveraging its unique capabilities, expertise and impressive history in
developing complete plant cell culture-based production processes – from
initial cell line development to commercial-scale production.

While the company will continue to prioritize its high-value API
business, under Marr’s leadership, it will concentrate on strengthening
its role as a top CDMO, offering comprehensive and leading-edge services
for the development, production and commercialization of high-value
plant-based molecules, extracts and recombinant products using PCF® to
its global clients in the pharmaceutical, Traditional Chinese Medicine,
cosmetic, agricultural and food ingredient industries, and on
identifying partnership opportunities that support the company’s growth.

“It is a real honour to be named president of such an innovative and
globally-leading company,” said Marr. “In my time with Phyton Biotech to
date, our highly skilled and dedicated team has built upon our unique
and vast capabilities, powerful technology and highly specialized
expertise to create state-of-the-art solutions for complex and
game-changing plant cell development projects, such as our recent
$400,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to revolutionize
the production of artemisinin, a critical ingredient in the global
treatment of malaria. Phyton Biotech is at the leading edge of the
development, manufacturing and commercialization of high-value
phytochemicals. I look forward to leading Phyton Biotech towards
continued growth and to partner with global clients across diverse
industries on innovative projects that leverage the full potential of
plant cell fermentation technology.”

About Phyton Biotech

Phyton Biotech is the global leader in Plant Cell Fermentation
Technology (PCF®). The company has cGMP pharmaceutical manufacturing
facilities in both Germany and Canada and employs approximately 100
personnel.

Phyton Biotech offers comprehensive services for the development and
commercialization of plant-based molecules, extracts and recombinant
products, serving the pharmaceutical, Chinese Traditional Medicine,
cosmetic, agricultural and food ingredient industries. Using its
revolutionary and proprietary PCF® platform, Phyton offers a time, risk
and cost-balanced path to commercially viable production processes,
resulting in the sustainability, reliability, quality and scalability of
the supply chain.

As a biotechnology leader, Phyton has a successful track record of
developing and implementing innovative contract development solutions
for clients around the world. With certified
GMP facilities in Germany and Canada, Phyton combines highly
developed technology, significant expertise and the highest quality to
meet our global customers’ needs. For more information on Phyton
Biotech, please visit phytonbiotech.com.

Contacts

Russell Communications
Alex Russell, (604) 562-9262
Principal
[email protected]