MWG Biotech AG: Ocimum Biosolutions Signs Letter of Intent to Acquire MWG Microarray Assets.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. & HYDERABAD, India -- Ocimum Biosolutions, a leading provider of laboratory information management systems (LIMS), bioinformatics solutions and contract research headquartered in Hyderabad, India, has signed a LOI to acquire core assets of MWG Biotech AG's (GER:NWU) (Ebersberg, Germany, ISIN DE0007300105) "Genomic Diagnosis" microarray business.

In the framework of the purchase Ocimum will take over the microarray know how, expertise and assets of the microarray business line, including inventory and stock. MWG Biotech's former "Genomic Diagnosis" employees are not part of the transaction. The new location of the microarray business will be in Hyderabad, India. Part of the services will also be offered from Indianapolis, US.

Financial details were not disclosed.

"This transaction ensures that customers of MWG Biotech's microarrays and microarray services will continue to receive competent high quality products and services based on a strong bioinformatics backbone. We are happy that our innovative microarray line will now be further developed in the market by Ocimum", says Dr. Wolfgang Pieken, Speaker of the Management Board of MWG Biotech AG.

Ocimum's President Subash Lingareddy said that "this acquisition when completed would be consistent with our strategy to become an integrated genomics company providing innovative wet lab research tools, bio-IT solutions and contract research services to the pharma and biotech industries. We will also have immediate access to over 300 customers of MWG Biotech's "Genomic Diagnosis" business and a proven technology platform."

About MWG Biotech AG:

MWG Biotech AG (www.THE-MWG.com) is an international provider of DNA sequencing and DNA/siRNA synthesis services for academic and industrial research with production sites in Germany, the US, and India. With products and services in consistently high quality the company creates the platform for success in the life sciences today and for a better life tomorrow. In late 2004 the Company initiated the transition from a diversified genomics products and services provider with four business units to its new focus on core genomics services for the research and diagnostic market. The business lines Genomic Diagnosis (microarrays) and Genomic Technology (lab automation) were successfully divested so that the products and services of both lines are now continued and further developed in the market by strong, established companies that are experts in their respective fields.

About Ocimum Biosolutions

Ocimum Biosolutions (www.ocimumbio.com) is a bio-IT and contract research and development company with competencies in LIMS, bioinformatics, genomics tools and custom contract research services, with operations in the US and India, supported by partners in Europe and Canada. Ocimum provides key, ready to use reliable, cost effective solutions for the biotech/pharma industry with a suite of products such as Biotracker(TM), Toxchek(TM), Pharmatracker(TM), Genchek(TM), Nutrabase(TM), Genowiz(TM), and iRNAchek(TM), and an array of custom services including microarray data mining and analysis, algorithm development, gene identification, biological database creation and manipulation, and tools for image analysis. Ocimum's lab in Indianapolis provides contract research services including DNA extraction, GMO testing, gene synthesis, fermentation, SNP analysis and ELISA based testing.