Integrated Genomics Licenses ERGO™ Database to Chr. Hansen

CHICAGO, IL and Hoersholm, Denmark - February 7, 2006

Integrated Genomics, a leading provider of bioinformatics tools, has licensed their proprietary ERGO™ database and genomic discovery system to Chr. Hansen A/S, a global natural ingredients company. Scientists at Chr. Hansen's Genomics & Strain Development in Denmark will use the ERGO™ system to characterize and develop lactic acid bacteria used in foods and as probiotics for human health.

Optimized for analysis of microorganisms, ERGO™ integrates biological data from genomics, biochemistry, gene expression studies, genetics and literature. Reaching beyond conventional systems for functional analysis of DNA sequences, Integrated Genomics' platform combines pattern-based analysis with comparative genomics and enables visualization of genes in the contexts of regulation, gene expression data, phylogeny, chromosomal neighborhoods and identification of natural gene fusions. ERGO™ contains more than 900 genomes at various stages of completion, as well as the largest available collection of networked cellular pathways.

"One great new feature in ERGO is the ability to quickly identify genes that are unique for a certain species or a group. This makes it possible to get an indication of which genes are responsible for giving each species its distinctive properties", said Dr. Martin Bastian Pedersen, Research Scientist at Chr. Hansen in Denmark.

Chr. Hansen and Integrated Genomics expect the current project to run through 2006. In addition to licensing the ERGO™ software, Integrated Genomics and Chr. Hansen have worked together for several years to sequence and analyze lactic acid bacteria; most recently the genome sequence of the probiotic Chr. Hansen strain Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Bb-12® was finalized in 2005.

About Integrated Genomics
Integrated Genomics is a provider of bioinformatics products and services for the life science industry, with a recent focus on the use of in silico strategies for comparative genomics. The company's expertise in microbial genomics includes genome sequencing, genome analysis and custom bioinformatics. In 2004-2005, IG scientists closed 15 microbial genomes. In recent years IG has developed and distributed ERGO™, the most advanced and comprehensive bioinformatics suite for microbial genomics on the market. ERGO™ contains the largest available integration of microbial genome data, including genome-derived metabolic reconstructions and representing the chemical reaction networks of metabolic pathways.

About Chr. Hansen
Over 130 years, Chr. Hansen A/S has become an international supplier of natural ingredient solutions for the food and health and nutrition industries. Chr. Hansen excels at understanding, developing, and commercializing industrial microorganisms with a world-class knowledge base in large-scale fermentation and molecular biotechnology. The company has state-of-the-art production facilities on three continents, 2,500 employees in 30 countries, development centers in Denmark, the US, France and Germany, application centers in 21 countries and 85 distributors and agents around the world.

Contact:
Vinayak Kapatral, Ph.D.
Vice President, Business Development
Integrated Genomics
(312) 491-0846 ext.326
Vinayak@integratedgenomics.com