NEW YORK and SYDNEY, Australia, Sept. 17, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Beroni Group Limited (“Beroni’ or the “Company”) entered into an agreement with the Columbia University, New York (“Columbia University”) in March 2018 to provide US$1 million funding to a research program in the field of CII-ArboViroPlex rRT-PCR Test, a multiplex assay that can simultaneously test, detect and differentiate the Zika virus, all Dengue virus serotypes, Chikungunya virus and West Nile virus. The funding support grants the Company an exclusive option to obtain an exclusive, compensation bearing license to the background patents and inventions to the CII-ArboViroPlex rRT-PCR Test. The US FDA has issued an Emergency Use Authorization for emergency use of this diagnostic kit.

Later in April 2019, Beroni signed an exclusive license agreement with Columbia University whereby Columbia University grants to Beroni and its affiliates an exclusive license to use the patent to discover, develop, manufacture, make, use, sell, import, export, distribute, rent or lease the CII-ArboViroPlex rRT-PCR Test on a worldwide basis. Columbia University also grants to Beroni Group the right to grant sub-licenses, subject to certain conditions.

At the end of last year, Beroni has established a new US company, Beroni USA Corporation to focus on developing the new business opportunity. In the last few months, Beroni Group has seconded a few technical and marketing staff to the US company to study the technical aspects of the CII-ArboViroPlex rRT-PCR Test and to draw up a product commercialisation plan. The US team has now reached a stage where it is ready to start commercial production and distribution of the product to authorized laboratories in the USA and other countries.

The key advantage of this diagnostic kit is the ability to detect and differentiate almost instantaneously the four viruses. In an epidemic, early detection is critical for local medical authorities to respond timely to contain the spread of the infectious disease.

About Beroni Group Limited (NSX: BTG) (OTCQX: BNIGF)

Beroni Group is an international biotechnological company listed on the National Stock Exchange of Australia and on the OTC markets in the USA. It currently has four core businesses - cell therapies, developing new anti-cancer drugs, e-commerce platform for pharmaceutical and healthcare products, and detection & diagnosis of infectious diseases. Beroni Group’s overall strategic goal is to become a world’s leading enterprise in the biotechnology, life sciences and environmental science industries.

For further information please contact:

Mr Jacky Zhang
Executive Chairman
Tel: +86 1851 6931 911
E: jacky.zhang@beronigroup.com

Mr Peter Wong
Executive Director and CFO
Tel: +61 423 727 580
E: peter.wong@beronigroup.com