Sumitomo Chemical Acquires U.S. DuPont™ Asana® Insecticide Business Assets from DuPont Crop Protection

Tokyo, Japan and wilmington, Del. – Sumitomo Chemical Company, Ltd. and DuPont Crop Protection announced today that Sumitomo Chemical has acquired the DuPont™ Asana® Insecticide business in the United States. Asana® will be distributed through Valent U.S.A. Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Chemical in the United States. The transaction is subject to approvals from applicable regulatory authorities. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Asana® Insecticide, active ingredient esfenvalerate, is a proven control tool for a wide range of insect pests in major field crops, vegetables, tree fruits and nuts. Asana® has more than 50 crops on the product label. Its unique cottonseed oil-based formulation provides superior wash-off resistance and UV Light protection to enhance residual control of insect pests.

The active ingredient esfenvalerate, a resolved pyrethroid, was invented by Sumitomo Chemical, and it is currently commercialized in more than 60 countries. In the United States, Asana® was developed and commercialized by DuPont, providing consistent control in U.S. crop production for many years.

Director & Managing Executive Officer, Health & Crop Sciences Sector of Sumitomo Chemical Ray Nishimoto said, “We believe this agreement is very beneficial to Sumitomo Chemical and DuPont, and Sumitomo Chemical very much appreciates the long-term partnership with DuPont, and expects further development of mutual collaborations.”

“This agreement is another step in the execution of our DuPont Crop Protection business growth strategy,” said Rik Miller, president, DuPont Crop Protection. “The agreement further enhances our focus on innovative new offerings that drive profitable growth both today and over the long term.”

CEO of Valent U.S.A. Corporation and Valent BioSciences Corporation Andy Lee, said “With the addition of Asana® Insecticide into our growing portfolio, we at Valent look forward to bringing growers an even more broad range of proven solutions to meet their insect management needs.”

Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is one of Japan’s leading chemical companies, offering a diverse range of products globally in the fields of basic chemicals, petrochemicals, IT-related chemicals and materials, health and crop science products, and pharmaceuticals. [www.sumitomo-chem.co.jp/english].

Valent U.S.A. Corporation, headquartered in Walnut Creek, Calif., develops and markets products in the United States and Canada that protect agricultural crops, enhance crop yields, improve food quality, beautify the environment and safeguard public health. Valent products include a well-known line of quality herbicide, insecticide, fungicide and plant growth regulator products for agricultural, seed protection and professional use. Valent is a leader in marketing and sales of both traditional chemical products and also biorational products developed by its affiliate, Valent BioSciences. For more information about Valent U.S.A.[www.valent.com].

DuPont (NYSE: DD) has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and services since 1802. The company believes that by collaborating with customers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders we can help find solutions to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food for people everywhere, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and protecting life and the environment.[www.dupont.com].