Diversa and Invitrogen Sign Technology Agreement.

SAN DIEGO--(BW HealthWire)--May 26, 1999--

Diversa Corp. and Invitrogen Corp. (Nasdaq:IVGN) announced today that the companies have signed an agreement to exchange proprietary technologies and products in specified fields of use.

Under the terms of the agreement, Diversa receives an exclusive license to use Invitrogen's TOPO(R) Cloning technology in Diversa's proprietary field of cloning nucleic acids from mixed populations and uncultured organisms. Invitrogen receives exclusive access to selected proprietary DNA modifying enzymes for use in the research reagent marketplace.

Invitrogen's proprietary TOPO Cloning technology enables researchers to efficiently clone products, bypassing time-consuming intermediate steps required with current cloning methods. Invitrogen offers numerous TOPO Cloning vectors for a variety of applications including vectors for expression in bacterial, yeast, insect and mammalian cells.

Diversa is continuously developing efficient and advanced cloning methods to complement its existing portfolio of high-throughput technologies that have already led to the discovery and development of both the world's largest collection of environmentally derived recombinant enzymes and genome libraries, which contain all of the genes for over 1,000,000 strains of microorganisms.

"The TOPO Cloning technology broadens our existing collection of cloning technologies, which allow us to rapidly access novel enzymes, small molecules, and other natural biomolecules," according to Dr. Jay Short, Diversa's CTO, President, and CEO.

"This agreement is one example of opportunities for our Invitrogenomics efforts to capture added value from our proprietary technologies. In addition to exploring strategic partnering and custom services, we will seek to outlicense TOPO cloning in limited fields outside our core market. This agreement further validates the value of TOPO cloning for high-throughput gene discovery and analysis," said Lyle Turner, Invitrogen's Chairman and CEO. "Access to Diversa's novel enzymes may lead to the identification and development of reagents and products which may have improved performance characteristics resulting in the next generation of tools for molecular biology and genomics 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, 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 and operates a European center with manufacturing, sales and distribution in Groningen, Netherlands.

Diversa's technology platform combines the power of accessing natural diversity to generate large recombinant DNA and cDNA libraries, with multiple tools for screening, optimization and production of novel biotechnological solutions. The company's proprietary technologies focus on the direct recovery of DNA from uncultured organisms, estimated to comprise greater than 99% of the world's microbial diversity. The DNA is rapidly and efficiently cloned into large libraries (up to one billion clones), which are screened using proprietary ultra high-throughput screening methods capable of analyzing up to one billion clones per day. The company also possesses a collection of evolutionary tools to improve natural diversity for biomolecule optimization. Enzymes derived from application of Diversa's combinatorial approach have achieved superior performance in a variety of commercial applications.

Certain statements contained in this news release may be considered "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, such as statements relating to plans for future business development activities and are thus prospective. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to the ability to manage growth, successful development and commercialization of new products, services and technologies, competition, success in obtaining patents and licenses and other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in Invitrogen Corp.'s Securities and Exchange Commission filings.