Feb. 24, 2000

For more information:
Dr. Mervyn Jacobson, XY Inc., 970-491-4734

XY Inc.'s Jacobson Appointed To Governor's Advisory Council On Biotechnology

DENVER--Colorado Gov. Bill Owens' Office of Innovation and Technology has appointed Dr. Mervyn Jacobson, chief executive officer and president of XY Inc., to the state's Advisory Council on Biotechnology.
      XY Inc., a fast-growing biotechnology firm in Fort Collins, Colo., is the world leader in the research, development and commercialization of techniques to select the sex of non-human mammals-such as horses, cattle, pigs and exotic species-before the animal even is conceived.
     " Dr. Jacobson's leadership will help ensure the success of the biotechnology council," said Marc Holtzman, Colorado's Secretary of Technology. "His perspective on biotechnology in the Fort Collins area is extremely important."
      The mission of the biotechnology council is to enhance Colorado's existing life-science industry. The Council will develop a vision for the future of the industry, market existing activities and serve as a single point of contact for the industry.
      In addition, the council may examine economic development, business and legislative issues crucial to the vitality of the life sciences.
      XY Inc.'s research to pre-select the sex of animals is important: Dairy farmers prefer females, beef-cattle breeders prefer males, polo-pony owners want females and most performance horses-such as jumpers-are males.
     " We know about 10 million male dairy calves born each year are slaughtered at birth," Jacobson said. "The waste from unwanted sexes in animal-breeding industries is enormous."
      Jacobson will be one of 35 leading CEOs, academic researchers and economic-development experts who will advise and guide statewide efforts to enhance Colorado's existing life-science industry and build the state's reputation as a technology hub.
     " I'm honored Gov. Owens selected me to participate in this key group," Jacobson said. "Colorado, with its highly educated population and outstanding economy, already leads the nation in many technology fields. Biotechnology is poised to be the next industry that propels Colorado to a world-leader role."
      Formed in mid-1996, XY Inc.'s initial mission was to offer gender selection to the United States dairy industry by way of sorting sperm with a flow cytometer into "X" and "Y" bearing populations, as an enhancement to artificial insemination.
      Today, XY Inc. has expanded its mission and now is the leader in the research, development and commercialization of sex selection for all relevant non-human mammals. XY Inc. is the only company in the world licensed to pursue semen sexing in non-human mammals using technologies developed by U.S. Department of Agriculture, Colorado State University and Cytomation, a company that develops advanced flow cytometers.
      XY Inc.'s successes are many: XY Inc. scientists produced "Call Me Madam," the world's first sex-selected foal in 1998, the world's first sex-selected calf using frozen sexed semen and artificial insemination in 1999 and the world's first sex-selected foals using sexed semen and artificial insemination in 1999.
     " This year, XY Inc. expects to generate first income from its commercialization strategies and to offer its know-how internationally to assist endangered species," Jacobson noted.
      For information on the biotechnology council, visit www.state.co.us/biotech.