VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 21, 2017 / GLG Life Tech Corporation (TSX: GLG) (OTC PINK: GLGLF) ("GLG"), a global
leader in the agricultural and commercial development of high-quality zero-calorie natural sweeteners, is pleased to announce today
an update on its major R&D programs for agriculture and, in collaboration with Archer Daniels Midland Company ("ADM"), a
breakthrough in bioconversion that will enable commercialization of high purity Reb M and Reb D sweeteners found in the stevia
leaf.
First, GLG has achieved a major breakthrough in its agricultural R&D program for high Reb M stevia plants. Through this
program, GLG aims to revolutionize the global food and beverage industry by providing companies with the ability to replace sugars
and artificial sweeteners with naturally-sourced Rebaudioside M ("Reb M"). On February 29, 2016, GLG announced a new variety of
stevia seedling that contained 8% Rebaudioside M out of the total steviol glycosides ("TSG") present in that variety. Since then,
GLG has developed high Reb M stevia varieties using non-gmo hybridization techniques.
Today, GLG is pleased to announce the latest results from this program that it has five new seedlings that have Reb M content
ranging from 56.8% to 61.6% of TSG. These results have already significantly exceeded our target of Reb M content of 50%. GLG
measured fourteen glycosides including RM, RD, STV, RF, RN, RO, RN, RE, RA, STV Isomer, DA, RUB, RB and STB. The other notable
glycosides present were RN (average 7.4%) and RF (average 17.0%). The TSG level in these five new varieties was much lower than our
high Reb A plants and the next phase of the R&D program will be to focus on increasing TSG and Reb M levels. GLG has a great
deal of experience in increasing TSG and plant size as it has done with its Reb A varieties. These are just the initial results of
last year's agriculture program, and GLG expects to have additional results in the coming weeks and will release any additional
major findings and developments as it has them.
The significance of these results cannot be understated. Reb M, one of several steviol glycosides found in the stevia plant, is
highly desired in the industry as a natural, zero-calorie sugar and sweetener replacement, one that very closely resembles sugar.
To date, the impediment to utilizing Reb M has been its scarce presence in the stevia leaf, making commercial use cost-prohibitive.
With this level of Reb M content, GLG can cost effectively produce high Reb M stevia extract for costs similar to the cost of
today's high Reb A stevia extracts. GLG's new high Reb M stevia varieties pave the way to bringing a naturally-sourced Reb M
extract to the market on a commercial scale.
All hybridization techniques used to develop these new varieties are non-GMO, which will maintain the integrity of GLG's leading
stevia non-GMO product portfolio. These achievements have been accelerated with the utilization of advanced genomic screening
techniques that result in a more efficient selection of candidate stevia lines and crossings with a number of patented GLG stevia
varieties. This latest achievement further demonstrates GLG's leading position in the global stevia industry. The next steps will
be to propagate these seedlings and ultimately develop a seed variety that will be made available to farmers, which will reduce
their cost of growing high Reb M stevia leaf as well as protect GLG's intellectual property. GLG is in the process of filing for
patent protection for its new high Reb M seedlings. GLG has a unique gene fingerprint for its stevia plants, which will be an
integral part of protecting its intellectual property with these new Reb M varieties.
Second, GLG and ADM, the exclusive global marketer and distributor of GLG's stevia and monk fruit sweeteners, have achieved a
major breakthrough in the co-development of high Reb M and high Reb D stevia extracts using bioconversion techniques. GLG and ADM
expect that these products will fill the short-term market demand before the high Reb M stevia varieties are commercially available
for planting (in approximately the next two to three years). The two companies, working together with several third-party partners,
have achieved purity levels exceeding 98% for Reb M and 99% for Reb D stevia extracts. ADM and GLG expect to be in commercial
production for high Reb M and high Reb D extracts starting in the first quarter of 2018 using a bioconversion production
technology. This strategy will allow for earlier sale of high Reb M and high Reb D extracts until the leaf-based extracts are
available from its high Reb M leaf.
Dr. Luke Zhang, CEO and Chairman of GLG, commented, "We are so pleased to announce this breakthrough for high Reb M stevia
plants. Based on GLG's strong track record of developing high Reb A, high Reb C and high STV stevia varieties, I was always
confident that we would develop a high Reb M variety using our core R&D patented technology. The team has exceeded my
expectations in achieving these results in a little over 18 months since we kicked off our Phase II Reb M Seedling program. I am
also excited by our Bioconversion R&D program, which will allow us to offer our customers high Reb M and high Reb D stevia
extracts starting in 2018. These products will serve as an interim bridge until our high Reb M stevia leaf is grown commercially a
few years later. We expect strong demand from international customers for these better tasting stevia extracts. A leaf that
contains almost 60% Reb M will allow us to offer these products at very similar prices to today's Reb A products."
"Consumers today are looking for natural, clean label foods and drinks that taste great," said Rodney Schanefelt, director,
sugar and high intensity sweeteners, for ADM. "We are excited about these breakthroughs, and look forward to expanding the array of
innovative, low-calorie stevia and monk fruit sweeteners we can offer to customers around the globe."
For further information, please contact:
Brian Meadows, President Phone: +1 (604) 285-2602 ext. 105 Fax: +1 (604) 285-2606 Email: ir@glglifetech.com
About GLG Life Tech Corporation
GLG Life Tech Corporation is a global leader in the supply of high-purity zero calorie natural sweeteners including stevia and
monk fruit extracts used in food and beverages. GLG's vertically integrated operations, which incorporate our Fairness to Farmers
program and emphasize sustainability throughout, cover each step in the stevia and monk fruit supply chains including non-GMO seed
and seedling breeding, natural propagation, growth and harvest, proprietary extraction and refining, marketing and distribution of
the finished products. Additionally, to further meet the varied needs of the food and beverage industry, GLG has launched its
Naturals+ product line, enabling it to supply a host of complementary ingredients reliably sourced through its supplier network in
China. For further information, please visit www.glglifetech.com.
Forward-looking statements:
This press release may contain certain information that may constitute "forward-looking statements" and "forward looking
information" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Often, but not always,
forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans," "expects" or "does not expect," "is expected,"
"budget," "scheduled," "estimates," "forecasts," "intends," "anticipates" or "does not anticipate," or "believes" or variations of
such words and phrases or words and phrases that state or indicate that certain actions, events or results "may," "could," "would,"
"might" or "will" be taken, occur, or be achieved.
While GLG has based these forward-looking statements on its current expectations about future events, the statements are not
guarantees of GLG's future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that could cause
actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors
include amongst others the effects of general economic conditions, consumer demand for our products and new orders from our
customers and distributors, changing foreign exchange rates and actions by government authorities, uncertainties associated with
legal proceedings and negotiations, industry supply levels, competitive pricing pressures and misjudgments in the course of
preparing forward-looking statements. Specific reference is made to the risks set forth under the heading "Risk Factors" in GLG's
Annual Information Form for the financial year ended December 31, 2016. In light of these factors, the forward-looking events
discussed in this press release might not occur.
Further, although GLG has attempted to identify factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially
from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as
anticipated, estimated or intended. GLG undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
As there can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events
could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking
statements.
SOURCE: GLG Life Tech Corporation
