Diversa Corporation (Nasdaq: DVSA) today announced the signing of a biodiversity access agreement giving the company rights to obtain environmental samples from Russia. Diversa
will work with Russia through the Department of Energy's Idaho National Engineering and
Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) to obtain samples from unique Russian habitats. This
agreement gives Diversa the rights to discover genes from these samples and commercialize
resulting products in multiple markets.

A Russian Ecological Biotrade Center, the first of its kind in Russia, will be created as part of the
agreement. Through the center and an innovative nonproliferation initiative sponsored by the
Department of Energy, U.S. and Russian scientists will work to discover novel bioactive
compounds from selected pristine and contaminated environments in Russia. Diversa will support
sample collection efforts and pay royalties to Russia on Diversa's revenues from products
developed from samples collected in Russia. Environmental samples will be collected from
Russia's diverse ecosystems and Diversa will apply its proprietary genomics technologies to
explore microbial diversity in Russia with the combined support of the Department of Energy.

This agreement is part of Diversa's global biodiversity access network, which is based on
pioneering research collaborations with Alaska, Costa Rica, Bermuda, Iceland, Indonesia,
Yellowstone National Park, Mexico and The Meadowlands, NJ.

"By working with U.S. and Russian research organizations, we are helping to redirect military
research efforts into applications that benefit society, as well as advance our commercial
opportunities,'' stated Jay M. Short, Ph.D., President and CEO of Diversa Corporation. "We are
applying our ultra high-throughput discovery technologies to identify and develop superior
products for the pharmaceutical, agricultural, chemical processing and industrial markets.''

"Through the collaboration of former weapons institutes in Russia, the Energy Department's
national labs and the private sector, we are redirecting former Soviet weapons expertise towards
peaceful activities,'' said Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson. "We are promoting scientific and
commercial use of Russia's natural resources in a manner that is environmentally sound. The
creation of the ecological center is an exceptional opportunity for participants on all sides.''

"The INEEL will work closely with Diversa and the U.S. Department of Energy to assure that
our goals are met at the new Russian Ecological Biotrade Center. It is great to see the U.S.
government, industry and the Russian scientists working together to find new products to enhance the quality of life,'' said William Toth, Program Manager, Initiatives for Proliferation Prevention Program, INEEL Labs.

The Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory is a science-based, applied
engineering national laboratory dedicated to supporting the U.S. Department of Energy's missions
in environment, energy, science and national security. The INEEL is operated for the DOE by
Bechtel BWXT Idaho, LLC, in partnership with the Inland Northwest Research Alliance.

The Department of Energy's Initiatives for Proliferation Prevention program engages former Soviet
research organizations, and scientists to ensure that weapons of mass destruction expertise does not leak to countries of proliferation concern. The IPP program funds peaceful research by former Soviet weapon scientists, in cooperation with DOE national laboratories and U.S. industry
partners. IPP projects are selected for their commercial potential and are intended to lead to
long-term employment for former Soviet weapons workers, while also providing U.S. industry
participants with new sources of technological innovation.

Diversa Corporation is a global leader in developing and applying proprietary technologies to
discover and evolve novel genes and gene pathways from diverse environmental sources. Diversa
is utilizing its fully integrated approach to develop novel enzymes and other biologically active
compounds, such as small molecule drugs. Diversa's proprietary evolution technologies facilitate
the optimization of genes found in nature to enable product solutions for the pharmaceutical,
agricultural, chemical processing, and industrial markets. Within these broad markets, Diversa is
targeting key multi-billion dollar market segments where the company believes its technologies and products will create high value and competitive advantages for strategic partners and customers. Diversa's strategic partners are market leaders and include The Dow Chemical Company, Novartis Seeds AG, Novartis Agribusiness Biotechnology Research, Inc., Aventis Animal Nutrition S.A., Celanese Ltd., Invitrogen Corporation and Danisco Cultor.

Company news release
N3122