Plandai Biotechnology, Inc. Announces New Extract in Its Ongoing Fight Against Malaria

SEATTLE, WA--(Marketwired - Oct 1, 2013) - Plandaí Biotechnology, Inc. (OTCQB: PLPL), a producer of highly bioavailable plant extracts for industries including health, wellness, nutriceutical, and pharmaceutical, today announced that it is developing a new Phytofare™ botanical extract which combines the phytonutrients from green tea with those from the plant Artemisia annua (commonly called Sweet Wormwood), the synthetic derivative of which is the basis for many current anti-malarial drugs.

Malaria, which still kills nearly a million people every year, has been variously treated over the years with different drugs, including Quinine and, more recently, Artemisinin, a synthetic analog of Artemisia. However, the past few years have seen an increase in drug-resistant strains. The World Health Organization is actively seeking a solution to the Artemisinin-resistant strains of Malaria that have been spreading out of the Cambodia-Thailand border where they were first discovered.

Roger Duffield, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Plandaí Biotechnology, commented, "Both Artemisia and Green Tea are known anti-malarials; however, in their natural state, they lack the potency to combat the parasite outside of a laboratory setting. There are several reasons for this. First, the molecules simply are not very biocompatible with human tissue -- absorption is poor. Second, the molecules are metabolized in the gut, which further diminishes their efficacy. Science has tried to overcome these deficiencies by creating synthetic compounds that mimic the natural molecules, but the resultant drug is one that can cause side effects and is more prone to eventual resistance."

Mr. Duffield continued, "Plandaí has, we believe, overcome these obstacles by first creating a highly bioavailable extract that combines both green tea catechins and Artemisia. There are studies that suggest that the combination of these two molecules could have a augmentative effect on overall efficacy. Secondly, by entrapping the resultant nano-particles in Pheroid, we will deliver the phytonutrients directly to the tissue intact. Combined, these technologies will enable us to deliver high dosages of the natural anti-malarial antioxidants directly into the blood stream."

Plandaí, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Phyto Pharmacare, Inc., has engaged the University of Cape Town, in South Africa, to test this new Phytofare™ compound drug first in animal models. Should the results prove favorable, the company will seek FDA consent to begin a Phase II human clinical trial.

About Plandaí Biotechnology, Inc.

Plandaí Biotechnology, Inc. and its subsidiaries develop highly bioavailable, phytonutrient rich extracts which are being utilized to deliver a new family of drugs to safely and affordably treat a multitude of diseases and conditions. Plandaí Biotechnology controls every aspect of the process, from growing the raw materials on its farms in South Africa, to producing its patented Phytofare™ extracts in-house, allowing the Company to guarantee the continuity of supply as well as quality control throughout the entire process. Targeted industries for the Company's products include beverage, cosmeceutical, wellness, nutraceutical, anti-aging, and pharmaceutical. For more information, please visit http://www.plandaibiotech.com.

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