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Invitrogen and Biocon Announce Exclusive Agreement to Supply New Source of Insulin to Global Cell Culture Market

Posted on: Tuesday, 17 July 2007, 18:02 CDT

Invitrogen Corporation (Nasdaq:IVGN), a provider of essential life science technologies for disease research and drug discovery, has signed an exclusive agreement with Biocon Limited to market pharmaceutical-grade insulin to the global cell culture market. The partnership with Biocon, India's leading biotechnology firm, will make it easier for pharma and biotech companies to rapidly access this high quality reagent for biological therapeutic manufacturing at a competitive price.

Biocon insulin has shown equivalence to other insulin sources that have been used for cell culture bio-manufacturing. Insulin is a widely used growth factor to delay apoptosis in mammalian cell culture which leads to increased productivity.

"Bioprocess scientists have increasingly used insulin to enhance their cell culture, but can only access the pharmaceutical-grade insulin in bulk quantities from a few suppliers," said Jeff Greenberg, Invitrogen vice president of Bioproduction. "Invitrogen and Biocon are now offering a competitive alternative which scientists, process engineers and manufacturers can confidently use to increase the productivity of their biological therapeutics."

The insulin, which is European and US pharmacopoeia (Ph Eur/USP) grade, is manufactured at Biocon's state-of-the-art facility built to US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standards in Bangalore. The recombinant human insulin is derived from an animal-origin-free-cell bank and is processed using porcine trypsin, thus eliminating the risk of BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) contamination. This helps to produce a high quality reagent that can be used to improve productivity of manufacturing biological therapeutics from cell culture.

Abhijit Zutshi, Biocon Limited head of North American Operations, added, "Invitrogen has a well-established reputation in the cell culture market for providing the best reagents. Their confidence in our insulin is an excellent endorsement of its quality, and we are proud to have them as our exclusive partner worldwide."

The recombinant human insulin can be supplied in manufacturing quantities of 25kg or more, and is currently available. For more information, visit www.invitrogen.com/bioproduction

About Invitrogen

Invitrogen Corporation (NASDAQ:IVGN) provides products and services that support academic and government research institutions and pharmaceutical and biotech companies worldwide in their efforts to improve the human condition. The company provides essential life science technologies for disease research, drug discovery, and commercial bioproduction. Invitrogen's own research and development efforts are focused on breakthrough innovations in all major areas of biological discovery including functional genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics and cell biology -- placing Invitrogen's products in nearly every major laboratory in the world. Founded in 1987, Invitrogen is headquartered in Carlsbad, California, and conducts business in more than 70 countries around the world. The company is celebrating 20 years of accelerating scientific discovery. Invitrogen globally employs approximately 4,300 scientists and other professionals and had revenues of approximately $1.15 billion in 2006. For more information, visit www.invitrogen.com.

About Biocon

Established in 1978, Biocon Limited is one of India's premier biotechnology companies. Biocon and its two subsidiary companies, Syngene International Pvt Ltd and Clinigene International Pvt Ltd form a fully integrated biotechnology enterprise, specializing in biopharmaceuticals, custom research, clinical research and enzymes. With successful initiatives in clinical development, bio-processing and global marketing, Biocon delivers products and solutions to partners and customers across the globe. Many of these products have USFDA and EMEA acceptance. Biocon launched the world's first recombinant human insulin, INSUGEN in November 2004 using Pichia expression and India's first indigenously produced monoclonal antibody BIOMAb-EGFR. Visit us at www.biocon.com

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain statements contained in this press release are considered "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and it is Invitrogen's intent that such statements be protected by the safe harbor created thereby. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: 1) This agreement will make it easier for pharma and biotech companies to rapidly access this high quality reagent for biological therapeutic manufacturing at a competitive price 2) The insulin is a high quality reagent that can be used to improve productivity of manufacturing biological therapeutics from cell culture. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risks: a) Biocon insulin has shown equivalence to other insulin sources that have been used for cell culture bio-manufacturing, as well as other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in Invitrogen's Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

Biocon Limited

20th K.M -- Hosur Road,

Electronic City P.O.,

Bangalore 560 100

Source: Business Wire

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