GENEART AG Synthesizes Genes for Swine Flu Vaccine in Record Speed

REGENSBURG, GERMANY--(Marketwire - May 04, 2009) -

- First constructs of H1N1 strain (swine flu) were delivered on Friday, May 1, 2009 to one of the top 10 pharma companies

- GENEART emergency scenario enables production in 3-5 calendar days

- 10 more H1N1 genes from subsequently placed orders completed early this week, among others for the Robert Koch Institute

- Gene synthesis offers fastest and safest access to vaccines without need for highly pathogenic patient isolates

GENEART AG, world market leader for gene synthesis and specialist in Synthetic Biology, produced genes for the development of a vaccine against the so called 'swine flu' for one of the pharma top 10 customers in record time. These genes were finalized within 3-5 calendar days, and delivered to the customer already on May 1, 2009. One of the genes was over 1,800 base pairs in length. In addition, 10 constructs, some ordered mid last week by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI - the central federal institution responsible for disease control and prevention of the German government) were completed early this week.

The produced genes are mainly variations of the viral coat proteins of the swine flu strain called H1N1. They were ordered on the basis of H1N1-virus sequence data published by the World Health Organization (WHO), and synthesized with GENEART's GeneAssembler® synthesis platform in record speed.

"In case of a pandemic threat, gene synthesis offers the fastest, safest and most efficient access to vaccines, because there is no need for highly pathogenic patient isolates. GENEART has developed an emergency plan for such scenarios where we work 24/7 to deliver in the shortest possible time. Gene synthesis has once more proven its outstanding importance for the development of vaccines and pharmaceuticals", says Prof. Dr. Ralf Wagner, CEO and CSO of GENEART AG.

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This document may contain estimates, prognoses and opinions about company plans and objectives, products or services, future results, opinions about these results or opinions leading up to these results. All these projections into the future are subject to risk, uncertainty and unforeseeable change outside the control of the GENEART Group. Many factors may lead to actual results, which considerably deviate from the given projections for these results.

About GENEART AG:

In 2000, GENEART entered the gene synthesis market and has since become the global market leader. Today, the company is one of the leading specialists in the Synthetic Biology field. Experts at GENEART provide key technologies for the development and production of new therapeutics and vaccines. Customers also take advantage of GENEART services to customize enzyme attributes, such as the attributes of enzymes used as detergent additives, and to construct bacteria, which produce complex biopolymers or break down polymers, such as synthetics, petroleum components, etc. Our production and service spectrum spans a wide range, from the production of synthetic genes according to DIN EN ISO 9001:2000, to the creation of gene libraries in the combinatorial biology, to the development and production of DNA-based biologically active substances. GENEART AG in Regensburg (Germany) and the subsidiaries GENEART Inc. in Toronto (Canada) and GENEART Inc. in San Francisco (USA) employ more than 190 people. GENEART is listed on the German Stock Exchange.

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