Divergence Scientific Advisory Board Member Wins Nobel Prize For Medicine

St. Louis (October 2nd, 2006) - The Nobel Foundation announced today that it had awarded The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for 2006 to two scientists, including Craig C. Mello, Ph.D. Dr. Mello has been a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of Divergence, Inc. since 2001. Dr. Mello and Andrew Z. Fire, Ph.D. were recognized for their discovery of RNA-interference, a key mechanism of gene regulation and a powerful discovery tool for determining gene function and essentiality in organisms.

The Nobel Foundation, in its announcement today, called RNA-interference, "a fundamental mechanism for controlling the flow of genetic information". The Foundation stated further, "It [RNA-interference] is of great importance for the regulation of gene expression, participates in defense against viral infections, and keeps jumping genes under control. RNA interference is already being widely used in basic science as a method to study the function of genes and it may lead to novel therapies in the future."

Jim McCarter, President and Chief Scientific Officer of Divergence stated, "We congratulate Craig for his well-deserved recognition. He is a tremendous scientist, and his insight into the role of double stranded RNA in gene silencing has opened up entirely new avenues of discovery in molecular genetics and therapeutics. RNA-interference is also an incredibly powerful research tool, one which Divergence has been using since 2000. We are thrilled that Craig is a part of Divergence, and we value the many contributions that he has made and will make to the scientific efforts of Divergence."

Divergence is a research and development company dedicated to the discovery of effective and ecologically sound strategies for the control of parasites and other pests. The company's primary focus is on parasitic nematodes, one of the world's major pest groups. Nematodes are roundworms that cause billions of dollars in damage annually to numerous crops, including soybeans, cotton, strawberries, and bananas. Nematodes also cause widespread disease in animals, including infections such as heartworm in dogs and cats and intestinal worms in livestock. Nematode-induced human diseases include elephantiasis and African river blindness.


For more information on Divergence, visit www.divergence.com.