Diversa Corporation and Invitrogen Corporation announced today that they have signed a licensing agreement granting Invitrogen exclusive rights to commercialize three of Diversa's thermostable DNA-modifying enzymes for the molecular biology research market. Diversa will receive royalties on sales of these enzymes, while maintaining rights to the diagnostics market.

"The DNA polymerases licensed from Diversa have improved performance characteristics which make them excellent additions to our tools for molecular biology, gene discovery and functional genomics research,'' said Lyle Turner, Invitrogen's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "We are extremely pleased to be working with Diversa to provide superior products for genetic research.''

The licensed enzymes are the first commercial products to result from an enzyme evaluation agreement between Invitrogen and Diversa signed last year. These improved research tools provide a particularly important enhancement of the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), which is used in all areas of genomics research. The novel profile of these enzymes will allow researchers to significantly improve the yields of their experiments.

"PCR is a fundamental genomic technology, and improvements to this process can facilitate research ranging from drug discovery to DNA fingerprinting,'' said Dr. Jay Short, President and Chief Executive Officer of Diversa Corporation. "Diversa's technologies greatly speed the development of superior products for a number of industries, including diagnostics and therapeutics research.''

Invitrogen is a global leader in technologies for gene cloning and expression. The company develops, manufactures and markets research tools in kit form and provides research services to corporate, academic and government entities. These research kits simplify and improve gene cloning, gene expression and gene analysis techniques, as well as other molecular biology activities. Through Invitrogenomics(TM), the company also provides gene cloning and expression services on a contract basis using its "high-throughput'' gene cloning and expression technology. Founded in 1987, Invitrogen is headquartered in San Diego, California and operates a European center with manufacturing, sales and distribution in Groningen, Netherlands.

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. 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. and Danisco Cultor.

Company news release
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