TRADE MISSION BUILDS ON LIFE SCIENCES INDUSTRY

Released on June 17, 2005

Team Saskatchewan will use the largest gathering of biotech expertise in the world as a backdrop for its latest trade mission, focusing on the province's strengths in life sciences, information technology, research commercialization, medical imaging, and synchrotron science.

BIO 2005 (Biotechnology Industries Organizations) in Philadelphia June 19th – 22nd will provide a wealth of opportunities for Team Saskatchewan members to attract new business investment. Over 18,000 biotech executives, investors, journalists, policy makers and scientists, from more than 60 countries, attend the conference.

"Saskatchewan is positioned to be North America's biotech central," Industry and Resources Minister Eric Cline said. "We have the technology, the companies, and the research facilities to support this claim. It is up to us to ensure this, and other positive messages, are top of mind with the business executives and investors we are meeting with in Philadelphia, Boston and Chicago."

In addition to the activities in Philadelphia, Team Saskatchewan members will travel to Boston and Chicago for a solid agenda of meetings with companies and organization such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Biosquare Discovery and Innovation Center, Rockwell Collins, Northrop Grumman and Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan (Chicago office).

"This mission represents a valuable team effort by business, the University of Saskatchewan and the province in promoting Saskatchewan as a competitive location for investment," Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority (SREDA) Inc. CEO Ted Mitchell said. "We have an impressive life science industry and delivering this message as a team will have greater impact for our province."

"Saskatchewan has a reputation for cutting edge research. Whether it's growing plants for medicinal purposes in an underground chamber or dissecting life's building blocks with synchrotron light, we offer incredible investment opportunities," Prairie Plant Systems Inc. President Brent Zettl said. "But first, the investors must know we are here. And that is the very crux of these important missions."

Team Saskatchewan's participation in BIO 2005 is championed by Ag-West Bio Inc. which spearheaded a similar mission to the BIO conference two years ago in Washington. This year's participants include Agrisoma Biosciences Inc., Canadian Light Source Synchrotron, Phenomenome Discoveries Inc., Prairie Plant Systems Inc., Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority (SREDA) Inc., Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership (STEP) and the University of Saskatchewan.

-30-

For More Information, Contact:

Jennifer Redston Industry and Resources Regina Phone: (306) 787-1691