Indianapolis, Indiana – 4th August 2004: Ocimum Biosolutions, a leading provider of cutting-edge Bioinformatics solutions and Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) ,announced that it has licensed Genchek™, comprehensive sequence analysis tool to University of Washington, University of Virginia, Alcorn State University and Acuity Pharmaceuticals.

Ocimum’s CEO Ms Anuradha Acharya remarked, “We are proud to add these prestigious organizations to our list of clients. Sequence analysis is a cornerstone of modern molecular genetics, yet it is difficult to provide researchers with an experience that is meaningful and cost effective. Our Genchek™, a comprehensive, multi-platform, cost-effective, sequence analysis software package is capable of handling and analyzing high throughput biological data. We expect that Genchek™ will enhance their research work in the field of genetics”.

Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.

About Genchek™

Genchek™ is a comprehensive, multi-platform, sequence analysis software package. It facilitates analysis of Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs), Complete Genome, and SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) data. Genchek™ is a research information and experiment management tool that integrates public and proprietary data through a discovery workspace that provides contextual access to sequence analysis tools, content and services. Genchek™ has an integral database system that can be used to access, store, organize and retrieve DNA, RNA, and protein sequences in an intuitive environment that offers editing, management and annotation of sequences.

About University of Washington

University of Washington is consistently ranked as one of the top research universities in the US and has more than 25,000 undergraduates and 9,000 others enrolled in its professional and graduate programs. Department of Genome Sciences of the university began in September 2001, the goal of which is to address leading edge questions in biology and medicine by developing and applying genetic, genomic and computational approaches that take advantage of genomic information now available for humans, model organisms and a host of other species.

About University of Virginia

The University of Virginia is distinctive among institutions of higher education. Founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819, the University sustains the ideal of developing, through education, leaders who are well-prepared to help shape the future of the nation. The University is public, while nourished by the strong support of its alumni. It is also selective; the students who come here are chosen because they show the exceptional promise Jefferson envisioned.

About Alcorn State University

For more than 125 years, Alcorn State has educated leaders in the full range of professions agriculture, the arts, business, human services, education, law, politics, medicine, and nursing. An important reason for our graduates’ success: At Alcorn, students form close, collaborative relationships with faculty mentors. The institution is currently engaged in a variety of research activities that focus on biotechnology, energy, meat, ecology, farming and alternative crops. Constantly looking for ways to broaden its research function, the institution is moving toward research involving advanced technology and value-added agriculture.

 About Acuity Pharmaceuticals

 Founded in late 2002, Acuity Pharmaceuticals is a product-focused pharmaceutical firm that is a pioneer in commercializing small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapeutics. Acuity is developing treatments for serious diseases of the eye and retina — age-related wet macular degeneration (wet AMD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR). Current therapies for these conditions are limited, and they represent the number one and two causes of irreversible vision loss in the developed world.  The number of patients afflicted with AMD and DR is growing rapidly as a result of aging populations and the increasing incidence of diabetes worldwide. The easily accessed and enclosed nature of the eye makes ocular diseases ideal targets for siRNA-based therapies. In preclinical studies, Acuity’s siRNA compounds have demonstrated efficacy in shutting down production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a naturally-occurring protein that is central to development of wet AMD and DR and is also implicated in other diseases. Acuity’s core siRNA technology is licensed from the University of Pennsylvania, and was developed by leading retinal researchers at the Scheie Eye Institute.

About Ocimum Biosolutions

Ocimum Biosolutions is an ISO 9001:2000 certified life sciences contract R&D Company that provides cost-effective customized contract research services and next generation bioinformatics tools & services in the area of genomics, proteomics and laboratory information management (LIMS) for Biotech and Pharmaceutical industry. The company’s other products include: (1) Sequence Analysis package – Genchek™; (2) Gene Optimization tool – Optgene™; (3) siRNA design – iRNAchek™ ; (4) A generic LIMS for analytical lab – Bioracker™ and (5) LIMS for pre-clinical research – Toxchek™. Ocimum plans to launch a LIMS – Pharmatracker™ targeted towards the Pharmaceutical industry by the end of August 2004.

Ocimum Biosolutions is a Delaware registered company with its operations at Indianapolis and sales and distribution channels across the world. Ocimum’s Indian arm is located at Hyderabad.

For more information on Ocimum Biosolutions visit www.ocimumbio.comor contact bdm@ocimumbio.com.