Exhibit 99

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                           Contact: Matt Kramer (Agritope)
                                                        503.641.6115

                                                Mary Hagen (Epitope)
                                                        503.641.6115



              AGRITOPE FORMS STRATEGIC ALLIANCE WITH VILMORIN & CIE

Beaverton, OR December 10, 1997 -- Agritope,  Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of
Epitope,  Inc.  (NASDAQ:  EPTO) today announced that it has entered into a stock
purchase agreement and a research and development  agreement with Vilmorin & Cie
(Vilmorin),  a majority owned subsidiary of Groupe Limagrain Holdings,  Chappes,
France. Vilmorin shares are traded on the Paris stock exchange.

Agritope has filed a  registration  statement  with the  Securities and Exchange
Commission with respect to Epitope's  previously announced intention to spin off
Agritope. After the registration statement is declared effective,  Epitope plans
to effect the spin-off through a dividend  distribution to Epitope  shareholders
of all Agritope  common stock held by Epitope.  The  distribution is expected to
consist of one share of Agritope  common  stock for every five shares of Epitope
common stock  outstanding,  for an aggregate  distribution of approximately  2.7
million  shares.  Upon  completion of the spin-off,  Agritope will cease to be a
wholly owned  subsidiary  of Epitope and will operate as an  independent  public
company.  Epitope  shareholders  will not have to pay for any shares of Agritope
stock received in the distribution or take any action to receive shares.

Following the spin-off, Agritope has agreed to sell 1,343,704 shares of Agritope
common stock in a private placement to certain foreign investors,  at a price of
$7 per  share  ($9.4  million).  Under  terms of its stock  purchase  agreement,
Vilmorin  will  purchase  214,285  shares of Agritope  preferred  stock for $1.5
million in a private placement and will have an option until January 15, 1998 to
purchase up to 785,715  additional  shares of preferred  stock for $5.5 million.
The preferred stock is convertible into common stock on a share-for-share basis.
Other than the right to elect a director and  preemptive  rights,  the preferred
stock has rights substantially equivalent to those applicable to common stock.


                                    - more -




Under terms of its research and  development  agreement,  Vilmorin  will provide
proprietary  seed  varieties  for use by  Agritope  in  projects to be funded by
Vilmorin,  in which  both  Agritope  and  Vilmorin  technology  may be  applied.
Vilmorin  will  also have a right of first  refusal  to fund  research  projects
involving the genetic modification of specified vegetables and flowers.

Founded in 1743, Vilmorin specializes in the worldwide breeding,  production and
distribution  of vegetable and flower seeds to the home garden and  professional
markets.  It is the largest  company in the world serving the home garden market
and the second  largest in the world  serving the  professional  vegetable  seed
market.  Vilmorin's  U.S.  subsidiary,  Harris  Moran Seed  Company of  Modesto,
California and Agritope have been working  together for several years to develop
cantaloupe with a longer shelf life.

Agritope is an Oregon-based  agricultural  biotechnology company specializing in
the  development  of new fruit and  vegetable  varieties.  Agritope  is also the
majority owner of Vinifera,  Inc., which offers grapevine plant  propagation and
disease  screening and elimination  programs.

                                     *******

A  registration  statement  relating to the  securities  to be issued to Epitope
shareholders has been filed with the Securities and Exchange  Commission.  These
securities  may not be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted  prior to the time
the  registration  statement  becomes  effective.  This press  release shall not
constitute  an offer to sell or the  solicitation  of an offer to buy nor  shall
there  be any sale of  these  securities  in any  state  in  which  such  offer,
solicitation,  or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or  qualification
under the securities laws of any such state. Shares of Agritope stock to be sold
to Vilmorin  and other  foreign  investors  have not been  registered  under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United
States  absent  registration  or  an  applicable   exemption  from  registration
requirements.

                                       ###