Flora Collection and Research Agreement

On 19 March 1996, the State Government signed a Floral Collection and Research Agreement with AMRAD Natural Products Pty. Ltd., which is a wholly owned subsidiary of AMRAD Corporation Limited. Under this agreement, the two parties have mutually agreed to collaborate and assist each other in the collection, evaluation, research, study and investigation of plant samples and to carry out a joint collaborative research programme, including the establishment of research facilities in Sarawak or Australia on Sarawak plant samples, including the screening of primary and secondary metabolites for bioactivity. Under this agreement the Forest Department of Sarawak was charged with the collection and the delivery of plant samples to AMRAD. As of 1 September 1999, 4,600 plant samples have been dispatched to AMRAD Natural Products Pty. Ltd., which has its headquarters at Swan Street, Richmond, Victoria, Australia. The agreement remains valid until 19 March 2001. As of 1 September 1999, AMRAD Natural Products Pty. Ltd. has been renamed AMRAD Discovery Technologies Pty. Ltd. The agreement between Sarawak and AMRAD Natural Products Pty. Ltd. has been novated so as to substitute AMRAD Discovery Technologies Pty. Ltd. as the sole contracting party with Sarawak. Other than the substitution of AMRAD Discovery Technologies Pty. Ltd. as the contracting party, there is no change to the current arrangements with the government of Sarawak. For more information on AMRAD, please visit their website http://www.amrad.com.au.