LemnaGene SA opens its biomanufacturing facility and has produced its first transgenic Spirodela

Lyon, France; September 27, 2004 — LemnaGene SA, a recently founded biomanufacturing company using the aquatic plant Spirodela from the Lemnaceae family, as its production platform, recently opened its new laboratory and biomanufacturing facility in the incubation space for new projects, located at the "Ecole normale supérieure de Lyon" (France) (ENS Lyon). This will allow LemnaGene to provide a full range of biomanufacturing services to the Pharmaceutical, Vaccine, Veterinarian, Diagnostic, Nutraceutical and Industrial Protein markets. LemnaGene SA also announced the production of its first transgenic Spirodela containing genes of interest to industrial partners.

Georges Freyssinet, the CEO of LemnaGene SA commented, "this new facility is a big plus for us. We can now produce efficiently transgenic Spirodela in a very nice environment. In addition, being inside the Ecole normale supérieure de Lyon allows us to work with high level scientific teams and have access to facilities and equipments which will speed up our development".

Michel van der Rest, Research Director at ENS Lyon commented, "The ENS Lyon is developing a clearly defined policy for the technology transfer of its research. With the aim of doing this, we are happy to host LemnaGene in our buildings within the framework of a research collaboration with the team of Thierry Gaude (Laboratoire de Reproduction et Développement des Plantes). LemnaGene will benefit from the expertise of this team and the equipments of this laboratory".

LemnaGene SA has been established in October 2003 in Lyon, France with the support of US and French private investors and a 400,000 Euro grant from the French Ministry of Research, grant managed by ANVAR (Agence Nationale de Valorisation de la Recherche). LemnaGene has received support from Créalys, the incubator from "Rhône-Alpes Ouest", and the Novacité label from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Lyon.

LemnaGene SA has an exclusive license from the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel, on know-how and patents developed by Weizmann scientists and has secured several additional licenses on enabling technologies. Agreements have been entered into with three development partners to validate the industrial feasibility of the LemnaGene platform for several genes of commercial interest.


Source: LemnaGene

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Genome Express offers 10,000 free sequences to mark 10 years in DNA sequence analysis business

Grenoble, 24 September 2004 — GENOME express, leading provider of DNA sequencing services to the French market, announced today that it is offering 10,000 free sequences, the equivalent of five bacterial genomes, in a prize-draw open to all public and private sector researchers worldwide. Those wishing to try their luck should go to GENOME express's website www.genome-express.com from 15 October 2004.

GENOME express, founded in 1994, specializes in DNA analysis for customers in human and animal healthcare, pharmaceuticals, agri-food and academic research. It offers a team of experts, proprietary technologies, and an optimized process that together form a unique molecular biology and bioinformatics platform.

"GENOME express has built upon standard sequencing tools to develop a production-level sequencing platform that brings significant added value to our customers," said François Pons, director of business development at GENOME express. "Ten years of accumulated know-how and development activity have gone into our bioinformatics and other proprietary tools. We don't just offer raw data to our customers but relevant and reliable information. We like to say that we 'can help make DNA talk' for our customers."

"To celebrate our ten years in business, and to let people try for themselves, we are offering 10,000 sequences in a prize draw that will take place in December," he added.

Today several thousand customers use GENOME express services. Daily capacity has risen by two orders of magnitude and annual sequence data production is roughly equivalent to one third of the human genome.

In addition to the DNA sequencing activities, GENOME express provides solutions to complex challenges in the fields of comparative genomics and transcriptomics, food identification, particularly the identification of allergens.

The company expects to have ISO 9001-2000 certification in December this year.

"We are proud to have already achieved 10 years in business, an impressive record for a biotechnology company," said Warren Barton, CEO of GENOME express. "Our business is built on solid foundations with significant sales growth for 2004. We expect to continue growing, building on our core activity of DNA analysis to develop exciting new products and services in food identification/analysis."


About GENOME express
In business since 1994, GENOME express specialises in DNA analysis for customers in human and animal healthcare, pharmaceuticals, agri-food and academic research. It offers a team of experts, proprietary technologies, and an optimised process that together form a unique molecular biology and bioinformatics platform.

Using its DNA sequencing core business expertise, GENOME express has developed services and high value added solutions that allow its customers to interpret the data generated quickly and efficiently.

GENOME express also offers custom solutions including an R&D outsourcing facility covering many areas of molecular biology, such as genomic exploration, identification of new markers and bacterial identification.

For further information: http://www.genomex.com

Source: Genome Express

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