AgriScience Labs and CERESLabs License Hop Latent Viroid Detection Assays from Front Range Biosciences and Launch Commercial HLVd Testing Services in CO and CA

BOULDER, Colo., May 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Front Range Biosciences® ("FRB"), a cannabis and hemp genetics platform company, today announced a licensing partnership with AgriScience Labs, one of the oldest ISO-accredited cannabis and hemp testing labs in Colorado, and CERESLabs, a leading California-based cannabis and industrial hemp analytical research and testing facility. Under the agreement, AgriScience and CERESLabs are launching commercial testing services for Hop Latent Viroid (HLVd) at their respective facilities leveraging FRB's patent pending HLVd detection assays. 

HLVd is one of the biggest threats to the cannabis industry. The disease can spread asymptomatically and is hard to identify, allowing HLVd to enter a production system and spread undetected. Once symptoms do show, the effects are often devastating. HLVd reduces crop yields by causing stunted growth, deformed leaves, and smaller, sparser flowers with fewer trichomes. According to MJBizDaily, California operators have lost 10-30% of their crop from the disease, and internal data shows infected plants can also suffer up to a 35% loss in cannabinoid content such as THC, and up to 70% reduction in yield.

"We pride ourselves on providing the most advanced testing technology for our customers across Colorado, and we are thrilled to work with an innovative company such as FRB to expand our capabilities," said Frank Traylor, CEO of AgriScience Labs. "Our clients are seeing a surge in HLVd, and this new threat calls for bold solutions like the ones Front Range Biosciences is developing. We are thrilled to add their testing platform to our portfolio of trusted solutions."

"FRB has a reputation for innovation, so it's no surprise they would bring to market a fast, accurate HLVd testing program for the cannabis industry," said Sachin Barot, Founder and CEO of CERESLabs. "We are pleased to work with a company that shares our commitment to supporting cannabis operators and building a better supply chain."

"Hop Latent Viroid Disease jeopardizes not just the health of plants but also the economic health of cannabis and hemp producers," said Dr. Jonathan Vaught, Co-founder and CEO of Front Range Biosciences. "AgriScience and CERESLabs work with some of the largest cannabis producers in Colorado and California. We're excited to see these partners leverage some of the tools we have developed in our efforts to mitigate risks for growers from this devastating pathogen."

To learn more about Hop Latent Viroid and mitigation techniques such as HLVd testing and the Clean Stock® program, visit www.frontrangebio.com.

About Front Range Biosciences
Front Range Biosciences is a premier cannabis and hemp genetics platform company, creating and supporting innovative new products across multiple industries by combining next generation agricultural technologies with the world's top hemp and cannabis R&D program. FRB provides leading-edge solutions to growers, brands, and product manufacturers through its unique varieties of seeds, young plants, and technology licensing to drive product development and production efficiency for cannabis and hemp derived products. Since 2015, the company has been dedicated to creating new product opportunities and solving challenges throughout the supply chain by leveraging proprietary next generation breeding, chemistry, and tissue culture technologies. In addition to FRB's groundbreaking technology, the company has also established genetics services dedicated to the California market and a Shimadzu sponsored Hemp Center of Excellence with top-tier researchers to encourage further innovation in the industry. FRB is the company of choice for cultivators that demand unique, quality, consistent products. For more information on Front Range Biosciences, visit www.frontrangebio.com.

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SOURCE Front Range Biosciences