Igene Biotechnology Inc. said Monday that a long-termmanufacturing agreement being negotiated with Burns PhilpFood Inc. for AstaXin, Igene's patented Phaffia yeast product,has stalled. Igene's board will explore alternativemanufacturing partners.

Igene of Columbia, Md., has begun test marketing AstaXinfollowing successful production of commercial quantities at oneof Burns Philp's bakers yeast facilities. The product, a naturalsource of astaxanthin pigment, is added to the diets of farm-raised salmonid fish to give them the characteristic color ofwild salmon.

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