CINCINNATI, March 26, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tauriga Sciences Inc. (OTCQB:TAUG) or ("Tauriga" or "the Company"), a diversified life sciences company with key assets that include license agreements and a proprietary technology platform in the nanorobotics space, has today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary Pilus Energy LLC ("Pilus Energy") has commenced a five-phase, $1,700,000 USD commercial pilot test ("commercial pilot") with the Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA"), utilizing Chicago Bridge & Iron Co. (NYSE:CBI) ("CB&I") Federal Services serving as the third-party-contractor through the EPA's Test and Evaluation ("T&E") facility. This five phase commercial pilot will include significant testing of the Pilus Energy Electrogenic Bioreactor ("EBR") synthetic biology platform for generating value from wastewater. This commercial pilot is of great importance to the Company, because it represents the scale up from the benchtop (laboratory) scale to commercial (industrial) scale. The Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati ("MSDGR"), which is co-located with EPA's T&E facility, will host the commercial scale EBR prototype at its main treatment plant in Cincinnati.
Pilus Energy's EBR harnesses genetically enhanced bacteria, also known as bacterial robots ("BactoBot™"), that remediate water, harvest direct current ("DC") electricity, and produce economically important gases and chemicals. This BactoBot™ powered EBR technology was originally developed by Cincinnati-based Pilus Energy and University of Cincinnati microbiology professor Daniel Hassett. The EPA became aware of Pilus Energy through Confluence, the regional water technology innovation cluster, and since then has been providing support to the company, in determining the long term potential of the proprietary EBR technology platform, with respect to more effectively remediating waste-water, while simultaneously harnessing the metabolic properties of bacteria to extract direct current electricity and/or hydrogen gas from various wastes.
Tauriga acquired the proprietary EBR technology platform through its completed acquisition of Pilus Energy, which took place on January 28, 2014. The global wastewater-to-value market is currently estimated at $10 billion and is projected to grow to $27 billion by the year 2021.
Tauriga CEO Dr. Stella M. Sung commented, "We are very pleased to commence this important commercial pilot test with the EPA and the MSDGR, which has the potential to provide commercial validation for our proprietary 'wastewater to value' platform and, importantly, potential long-lasting benefits for the city of Cincinnati. A successful commercial pilot would provide a critical step in achieving commercialization and economic development goals."
Biju George, Deputy Director, Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati, stated, "The Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati is excited to be the world's first deployment site for this innovative technology. Due to our location, partners, specialized facilities and personnel, we are perfectly suited to be the pilot site. The Tauriga Sciences value proposition has the promise to change the wastewater industry."
Additionally Sally Gutierrez, Director of the Environmental Technology Innovation Cluster Development and Support Program at the EPA also expressed support of the collaboration. Much of the initial work will be performed at the US EPA Test and Evaluation Facility in Cincinnati.
About Tauriga Sciences, Inc.:
Tauriga Sciences, Inc. (TAUG) is a diversified company focused on generating profitable revenues through license agreements and the development of a proprietary technology platform in the nano-robotics space. The mission of the Company is to acquire and build a diversified portfolio of cutting edge technology assets that is capital efficient and of significant value to the shareholders. The Company's business model includes the acquisition of licenses, equity stakes, rights on both an exclusive and non-exclusive basis, and entire businesses. Management is firmly committed to building lasting shareholder value in the short, intermediate, and long terms. On January 28, 2014 the Company completed its acquisition of Cincinnati, Ohio based Pilus Energy LLC ("Pilus Energy"), a developer of alternative cleantech energy platforms using proprietary microbial solutions that creates electricity while consuming polluting molecules from wastewater. The Company's corporate websites can be found at (www.tauriga.com) and (www.pilusenergy.com).
About Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati
The Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati (known as MSD or MSDGC) serves the wastewater removal and treatment needs of residents and businesses in Hamilton County, Ohio. The Board of County Commissioners of Hamilton County, Ohio established MSD in 1968 pursuant to Section 6117 of the Ohio Revised Code. Under the 1968 agreement, the City of Cincinnati agreed to operate and solely manage MSD's daily operations and sustainability. The Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati (MSDGC), Ohio, serves 800,000 customers and has approximately 600 employees who work at facilities located throughout Hamilton County, Ohio. The MSD Wastewater Treatment Division operates and maintains seven major treatment plants and more than 100 smaller treatment facilities that process an average of 180 million gallons of raw sewage per day. Most of the major treatment facilities were built in the 1950s and contain over 16,000 total discrete assets that are critical to meeting MSD's mission of protecting public health and the environment through water reclamation and watershed management.
About Chicago Bridge & Iron Co. (CB&I):
CB&I (NYSE:CBI) is the most complete energy infrastructure focused company in the world and a major provider of government services. With 125 years of experience and the expertise of approximately 55,000 employees, CB&I provides reliable solutions while maintaining a relentless focus on safety and an uncompromising standard of quality. For more information, visit www.cbi.com.
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Forward-Looking Statements: Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation expectations, beliefs, plans and objectives regarding the development, use and marketability of products. Such forward-looking statements are based on present circumstances and on TAUG's predictions with respect to events that have not occurred, that may not occur, or that may occur with different consequences and timing than those now assumed or anticipated. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, and are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from the events or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include general economic and business conditions, the ability to successfully develop and market products, consumer and business consumption habits, the ability to fund operations and other factors over which TAUG has little or no control. Such forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this release, and TAUG assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. Readers should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Risks, uncertainties and other factors are discussed in documents filed from time to time by TAUG with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This press release does not and shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of any offer to buy any of the securities, nor shall there be any sale of the securities, in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state. The securities have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration, or an applicable exemption from registration, under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws.