Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council Awards Grant to Soy Labs, LLC

For Immediate Release: March 7, 2007

FAIRFIELD, Calif. March 7, 2007 — Soy Labs, LLC has received a grant from the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council (MSMC) to conduct research on the cholesterol-lowering effects of Lunasin™, a soy peptide. Of numerous research proposals submitted, this is one of only two new projects granted funding by the MSMC board, which is comprised of leaders in soybean research and production.

Previous Lunasin research, presented last fall at the Fourth International Conference on Soy and Health (Düsseldorf, Germany), identified this chromatin-binding, soy peptide as the active factor in soy protein that is responsible for the LDL cholesterol-lowering effect attributed to soy. The new study will expand on that research to investigate the potential for developing a proprietary, bioavailable ingredient called Lunasin-XP™ that can be easily incorporated into nutraceuticals, functional foods, and beverages.

“Today’s consumers are actively embracing a more holistic approach to good health, preferring nutritional supplements over expensive pharmaceuticals that can be fraught with dangerous side effects,” stated Ryan Schmidt, president of Soy Labs. “Every year, cardiovascular disease (CVD) claims more lives than the next four leading causes of death combined including cancer, respiratory disease, accidents, and diabetes. Elevated plasma cholesterol has been implicated as a precursor of CVD. It appears that Lunasin-XP can provide a safe and effective, all-natural alternative to the current statin-dominated market for controlling cholesterol.”

“This discovery is expected to have a far-reaching impact,” stated Dale Ludwig, executive director and CEO of the Missouri Soybean Association. “Certainly, it has immediate benefits for the soy and nutritional supplement industries, but it also holds tremendous potential for major soyfood and beverage manufacturers. We expect that Lunasin-XP will enhance current products and become the genesis of products yet to come that will help improve the health of consumers everywhere.”

The lead researcher on this project is Alfredo F. Galvez, Ph.D., molecular biologist at the NCMHD Center for Excellence in Nutritional Genomics at University of California, Davis, and adjunct assistant professor at the University of Missouri. He has been working on Lunasin research for more than 10 years. The current project is expected to be completed by fall of 2007. For more information, visit www.lunasin.com.

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