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Diversa Launches Novel Vaccine Product
for Salmon Aquaculture
EMERYVILLE,CA
September 30, 2004
Diversa Corporation (Nasdaq: DVSA) today announced the launch of Bayovac®
SRS in Chile. This novel vaccine is designed to prevent salmonoid
rickettsial septicemia (SRS) in farmed salmon. SRS is currently the
deadliest infectious disease affecting the Chilean salmon industry,
accounting for as much as 70% of the mortality rate from infectious
disease and approximately $100 million in annual losses in that country.
Diversa manufactures this microbially-produced vaccine, and Bayer
Animal Health is exclusively distributing and marketing this product
in Chile, which produces 45% of the world's farmed salmon.
"Having achieved initial regulatory approval and sales of Bayovac®
SRS in Chile, we expect this product will quickly demonstrate its
superiority in preventing SRS compared to more traditional methods
of disease control and will become an important product for the farmed
salmon industry," said Jay M. Short, Ph.D., Diversa's President and
Chief Executive Officer. "Since Chile is the world's largest producer
of farmed salmon, and SRS is such a devastating problem for salmon
farmers, we identified this as a high-value opportunity within the
animal care market, one of our strategic focus areas. With the launch
of Bayovac® SRS, Diversa has met its corporate goal of launching
three new products in 2004," continued Dr. Short.
About Bayovac® SRS
Bayovac® SRS is the first subunit recombinant vaccine for prevention
of infection by Piscirickettsia salmonis, the pathogen that causes
SRS. Bayovac® SRS has been shown to provide up to 100% protection
against Piscirickettsia salmonis infection with a single dose vaccination.
Treatment of this infection with traditional antibiotics is problematic
in terms of regulatory and consumer acceptance of antibiotic-treated
fish in many markets, and antibiotic-treated fish are also vulnerable
to Piscirickettsia salmonis infection during the mandatory antibiotic
withdrawal period.
About Diversa
Diversa Corporation is a leader in applying proprietary genomic technologies
for the rapid discovery and optimization of novel protein-based products.
Diversa is directing its integrated portfolio of technologies to the
discovery, evolution, and production of commercially valuable molecules
with pharmaceutical applications, such as optimized monoclonal antibodies
and orally active drugs, as well as enzymes and small molecules with
agricultural, chemical, and industrial applications. Diversa has established
alliances and joint ventures with market leaders, such as Amgen, BASF,
Bayer Animal Health, The Dow Chemical Company, DSM Pharma Chemicals,
DuPont Bio-Based Materials, Givaudan Flavors Corporation, GlaxoSmithKline
plc, Invitrogen Corporation, Medarex, and XOMA. In addition, Diversa
has formed a broad strategic relationship with Syngenta AG, a world-leading
agribusiness company. Diversa has commercialized products both independently
and in collaboration with strategic partners and licensees. Additional
information is available at Diversa's website: www.diversa.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical
are "forward-looking" and involve a high degree of risk and uncertainty.
These include statements related to the marketing of Bayovac®
SRS and its potential market opportunity, the ability of Bayovac®
SRS to reduce or prevent disease in salmon, the potential benefits
of Bayovac® SRS compared to more traditional methods of controlling
SRS, and the importance of this product to the farmed salmon industry,
all of which are prospective. Such statements are only predictions,
and the actual events or results may differ materially from those
projected in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause
or contribute to differences include, but are not limited to, risks
involved with Diversa's new and uncertain technologies, Diversa's
dependence on patents and proprietary rights, Diversa's protection
and enforcement of its patents and proprietary rights, Diversa's dependence
on its existing collaborations and ability to enter into and/or maintain
collaboration and joint venture agreements in the future, regulatory
approval and marketing of Bayovac® SRS outside Chile, Diversa's
ability to commercialize products, Diversa's use of distributors to
market Bayovac® SRS and reliance on the efforts of those distributors,
whether customers will use Bayovac® SRS instead of other marketed
products, the ability of customers to realize the expected benefits
of using Bayovac® SRS, and the development or availability of
competitive products or technologies. Certain of these factors and
others are more fully described in Diversa's filings with the Securities
and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, Diversa's
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2004.
These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof.
Diversa expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update these
forward-looking statements.
Source: Diversa Corporation
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