Cobra Biomanufacturing Plc receives approval for research and development tax credit from the French Ministry for Higher Education and Research

March 13th 2008: Keele, UK: Cobra Biomanufacturing Plc (AIM: CBF), the international manufacturer of biopharmaceuticals, today announces that the French Ministry for Higher Education and Research has recognised Cobra as an approved research and development service provider. This allows companies, subject to the French General Tax Code, to take advantage of the research and development tax credit (Le Crédit d’Impôt Recherche (CIR)).

Therefore, French companies which have outsourced research and development to Cobra will be able to benefit from research and development tax credit (Le Crédit d’Impôt Recherche (CIR)).

This approval is granted for the years: 2007, 2008 and 2009.

The tax credit limit was 16 million Euros per company per year in 2007.

“This new status will allow Cobra’s clients in France to easily take advantage of the tax breaks the French Government has made available,” said Simon Saxby, COO Cobra Biomanufacturing. “Cobra is already an active player in the French market, and this development will further improve our offering to customers.”

For further information:

www.enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr/pid20105/aide-a-la-recherche-et-au-developpement-des-entreprises.html

- ENDS -

For further information, please contact:

Cobra Biomanufacturing Plc
Tel: +44 (0) 1782 714 181
Simon Saxby, Chief Operating Officer

Buchanan Communications
Tel: +44 (0) 207 466 5000
Tim Anderson/Rebecca Skye Dietrich

College Hill Life Sciences
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7457 2020
Gemma Price / Adam Michael / Kathryn Robertson

Seymour Pierce (NOMAD & Broker)
Tel: +44 (0) 20 107 8000
Stuart Lane

Notes to Editors:

About Cobra Biomanufacturing Plc:

Cobra Biomanufacturing Plc is a leading international manufacturer of biopharmaceuticals to the lifescience industry. Founded in 1992, Cobra provides innovative manufacturing solutions to the biopharmaceutical industry covering DNA, virus, cellular therapeutics and recombinant protein products.

Cobra has developed a range of unique, patented technologies, which underpin a successful revenue generating contract manufacturing business.

Cobra floated on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange in June 2002 raising £7M ($14M) and raised a further £5.2M ($10.4M) in May 2003 in order to further expand capacity in Oxford UK. Since floatation the Company has grown turnover from £3M ($6M) to £ 10M ($20M) providing expert manufacturing services across the world with over 80% of revenues currently originating from the US market.

www.cobrabio.com 

About the research and development tax credit (Le Crédit d’Impôt Recherche (CIR)):

CIR is a fiscal support for companies involved in R&D expenditure and has been strengthened since 2004. CIR represents a cost benefit for companies engaged in R&D of around €1.5B (£1.0B) (estimate for 2007; for 2005, €980M (£700M).