REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Aug. 10, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- The YaSheng Group (Pink Sheets:YHGG) research and development team has mastered a gene cloning process that allows the creation of fortified cells that combats foot and mouth disease. Scientists at the company also developed a cost effective and easy to use technique to test live and dead animals for the disease.
Development is underway for a vaccine to eliminate this disease in live animals. The company plans to sell licenses, which obtained a patent (Z1031005799) on June 1, 2005, issued by the People's Republic of China Intellectual Property Commission. The application for an International patent was also filed and is pending.
Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is a highly infectious viral disease of cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and deer. In the past, FMD has been controlled through the mass culling of infected and in contact animals. New legislation and the development of vaccines had become a key FMD control strategy. The most recent epidemic occurred in 2001 when a major outbreak hit the U.K. and the disease affected areas in Asia, Africa, South America and the European Union, which resulted in the slaughter of approximately six million animals and caused billions of dollars in damages.
YaSheng's Animal Husbandry and Poultry-raising subsidiaries consists of a variety of animals including cattle, deer, sheep, goats, pigs and chicken. The company operates a modernized pig farm with annual capacity of over 10,000 pigs and a large chicken farm which supplies 100,000 kgs of eggs annually. The YaSheng Academy of Sciences Research and Biotech development center is devoted to Agricultural advancement and the protection of the animals' well-being.
The Chinese Animal Husbandry and Poultry industry is one of the largest world suppliers with annual production of 140,000,000 cattle, 280,000,000 sheep, and 61,000,000 pigs.
Resource: China Agriculture Data Network 2004
About YaSheng Group:
The YaSheng Group (Pink Sheets:YHGG), a diversified industrial conglomerate incorporated in Redwood City, California, operates in hi-tech agriculture, salt chemistry and biological technology as its core business with advantages in rich land, mineral resources, capital and technology reserves.
Through its 136 subsidiaries, the company operating categories include chemical engineering, agricultural production, biotech, pharmaceuticals, textile products, printing and dyeing, commercial trading, beverages and inorganic salt manufacturing. With total assets of approximately $1.5 billion USD and over 15,000 employees, YaSheng Group has 155,097,355 shares issued and outstanding as of December 1, 2004.
Further information concerning YaSheng Group can be found on the corporate website: www.yashenggroup.com
Forward-Looking Statements:
Certain statements contained in this press release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. The statements contained herein that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.