Evolva and DakoCytomation enter Research Collaboration

19 February 2003 Danish biotech company Evolva A/S and DakoCytomation today agreed to jointly pursue the application of DakoCytomation´s MoFlo flow cytometry technology platform to Evolva´s Watchmaker™ technology. If successful, the collaboration will enhance the utility of Watchmaker™ in drug optimisation and open up a major new application for flow cytometry in the pharmaceutical industry

Evolva CEO Neil Goldsmith: “Flow Cytometry will be one of the most important screening technologies of the next few decades.  As a cell based selection and optimisation system, Watchmaker™ has a natural fit with the technology.  Evolva is delighted that it can now benefit from the advances made by DakoCytomation in the flow cytometry field”.

Arne Rosendahl Lassen, General Manager of DakoCytomation Norden A/S, says: “The merger of Dako and Cytomation has created a technology base that enables new scientific approaches within the pharmaceutical industry, like today’s agreement with Evolva, which is an important addition to our diagnostic approach. The flow cytometry technologies give researchers new opportunities for sorting and selecting cells with desired capabilities, which could prove to be highly beneficial”.

Further information:

Evolva, Neil Goldsmith, CEO, +45 3917 9771

neilg@evolvabio.com

DakoCytomation A/S, Gitte Sjørslev, Communications Manager, +45 4485 9331 or +45 4063 9593 gitte.sjorslev@dakocytomation.com

Evolva was founded in 2001.  It uses an evolutionary technology - Watchmaker™ - to discover, develop and manufacture small molecule pharmaceuticals and related compounds.  Watchmaker™ breeds “compound enhanced” yeast cell populations until cells (and hence small molecules) are produced that have desired pharmaceutical activities.  It addresses the appalling productivity of drug discovery, is fully scaleable and allows previously “impossible” small molecules to be manufactured.  It can be used for essentially all targets and disease areas.  Evolva provides high quality pre-clinical candidate drugs to partners and licensees.  Current programmes are focused on cancer and diabetes.  www.evolvabio.com

DakoCytomation A/S is a leading in vitro diagnostic company specializing in the identification of cancer markers on samples obtained from tissue and body fluids. DakoCytomation’s cutting-edge technology in immuno-chemistry, protein chemistry and instrument development enables physicians around the world to link diagnostic tests with specific therapies, thus optimizing patient treatment. The privately held company, headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark with significant R&D and manufacturing activities in the USA and in England, has operations in 22 sites and distributors in 50 countries. DakoCytomation employs more than 1300 people worldwide.                    

www.dakocytomation.com

This press release does not constitute an offer of any securities for sale. It contains certain forward-looking statements with respect to the positions of both companies in their industries and their plans if combined. These forward-looking statements are based upon managements’ expectations and beliefs concerning future events. Forward-looking statements are necessarily subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside the control of the companies, which could cause actual results to differ materially from such statements. These uncertainties and other factors include such things as general business conditions, strength of the economy and growth in the biotech industry; changes in the companies’ relationships with customers and suppliers; changes in operating costs; and regulatory uncertainties.
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