11 



It is a very, very long haul up to manufacturing and selling a 

 drug. Many chemicals won't make it. They estimate out of the 

 10,000 active chemicals, you might get five new drugs. So it is a 

 very expensive and very time-consuming effort to actually identify 

 a new potential medicine. 



I thought you might also be interested to know that these plants 

 have also been screened for agrochemical uses, and also for the 

 gene screen, where we are attempting to fmd genes that might be 

 incorporated into plants to increase their resistance to infections. 

 This is a very powerful technique which modern biotechnology is 

 giving us. We are using these programs also for agrochemical dis- 

 covery. 



What do we have so far? Four years into a screening project is 

 still a long way from the 10 to 15 years it will take us to rnake a 

 drug. We are finding some interesting hits, as predicted, particular- 

 ly against the targets which are more difficult to find leads. But 

 there is an interesting example of a drug which is in early phase 

 clinical trials for AIDS. It was not discovered as part of this pro- 

 gram. It was part of the Kew Botanical Gardens Program in the 

 UK. They were studying antifeedants — the sorts of agents that 

 plants have in them to stop insects from attacking them. The plant 

 was a mulberry tree. They discovered a compound in it called NJ, 

 and by a chance discussion at a local British pub, it was decided to 

 screen it for AIDS. It was found to be active. The chemists did 

 some chemical work on this material and removed the toxic side 

 effects, and it is an interesting compound that has made its way 

 through the trials. That was about 1986. 



The research which we have carried out has benefited Missouri 

 Botanical Gardens. They are collecting their plants which is help- 

 ing them compile the flora of North America. 



What about the benefit of biodiversity to society as well? My ar- 

 gument is this; the more land that we can conserve for biodiversity, 

 the greater our options to improve agricultural efficiency and to 

 address environmental and health issues. The more effectively we 

 learn to use its resources for agricultural production, the more 

 land is made available for the conservation of biodiversity. 



We must preserve and oper^ ; this positive feedback loop if we 

 are to meet the quality of life demanded by the world's population. 

 Monsanto's research programs have a major interest in seeing that 

 the correct balance is struck between conservation and the use of 

 natural resources. 



These programs will result in products which increase the health 

 and welfare of the population by providing new medicines and an 

 efficient agricultural basis essential for continued prosperity. 



Thank you. 



Mr. Studds. Thank you very much. 



[The statement of Mr. Brewer can be found at the end of the 

 hearing.] 



Mr. Studds. Next, Dr. John Grossman of the Eastern Municipal 

 Water District of San Jacinto, California. 



