Daicel Chemical Industries and Groupe Novasep SAS Form a Strategic Co-Operation for Large Scale Chiral Separation

POMPEY, France, June 29 /PRNewswire/ --     Daicel Chemical Industries, Ltd. and Groupe Novasep SAS,
announce the formation of a strategic technical co-operation aimed at
streamlining the use of chiral chromatography to manufacture late-stage
clinical and commercial chiral intermediates and APIs.

Under the terms of the agreement, the companies will cooperate
to develop the most time and cost-effective solution for the manufacture of
chiral compounds for customers in the pharmaceutical and custom manufacturing
industry. Daicel and its subsidiaries, Chiral Technologies Europe SAS and
Chiral Technologies Inc., will identify the best chiral stationary phase from
their extensive library of commercial and developmental chiral stationary
phases (CSP's). Novasep Process will provide process optimisation services,
using its unique computer simulation software and full process development
with its advanced technologies such as Varicol(R) continuous chromatography
process. The intended result of this combined approach is to deliver
guaranteed scale-up, optimum performance and best economics for large-scale
separations.

"Today, several chiral drugs are commercially produced at tons
to 100's tons scale with chromatographic technologies. Such drugs include
Pfizer's Zoloft(R), UCB Pharma's Keppra(R), Lundbeck's/Forest Laboratories'
Cipralex(R)/Lexapro(R), and Cephalon's NuvigilTM" says Jean Blehaut,
President of Novasep Process' Pharma Business Unit. "But the pharmaceutical
industry is just discovering the potential of chiral chromatography to bring
NCEs to the market faster. The existing commercial projects have demonstrated
that it is often cheaper to produce single enantiomeric drugs with
chromatography rather than use traditional technologies such as
crystallization and/or asymmetric synthesis. Jean Blehaut continues: "The
time is right to join forces in the field of large scale chiral
chromatography to more rapidly develop this technology for the industry".

"The idea of our cooperation is quite simple: we are proposing
our current and future customers to obtain all the required process and
method data whilst maintaining the single point of contact of their choice,
either Novasep or Daicel": states Dieter Heckmann, CEO of Chiral Technologies
Inc. and Chiral Technologies Europe. "Each company will apply its core
technical skills to develop a single solution to meet short and long-term
objectives for each project".

The customer will be presented with the combined data to make
an informed decision. The proposed production process (chromatographic system
and CSP) will have a guaranteed performance and will include all applicable
licenses to Novasep and Daicel's extensive intellectual property."

Daicel Chemical Industries Ltd. is a leading supplier of
chemical products and technologies to the industry with a turnover in 2006 of
ca. 2.9 billion USD.

Daicel's CPI division is the world leader in the development
and manufacture of chiral stationary phases for enantiomer separation.

In combination with a network of Chiral Technology
Laboratories, who have in excess of 20 years experience in the manufacturing
of stationary phases and an extensive knowledge in large-scale chiral
separations, Daicel ensures global support for the isolation of chiral pure
compounds, (Chiral Technologies Inc., USA, Chiral Technologies Europe SAS,
Daicel Chiral Technologies China and Daicel Chiral Technologies India).

The Chiral Technology laboratories offer local technical
assistance, supply from stock and complementary support services to ensure an
increasing use of chiral chromatography in the pharmaceutical and
biotechnology industries.

Daicel products are the industry leading chiral
chromatographic phases and are used in the majority of pharmaceutical
laboratories and production plants worldwide.

Groupe Novasep covers the special needs of the pharmaceutical,
food, cosmetics, agrochemicals, and specialty chemicals industries. It
combines chemical synthesis and chemical engineering expertise in order to
develop new technologies. The group operates through two divisions: Novasep
Synthesis and Novasep Process focusing on the synthesis and process of
intermediates, advanced intermediates and APIs.

Novasep Process specialises in solving purification challenges
for the Pharmaceutical, Biopharmaceutical and Industrial Biotech markets. The
company offers laboratory purification equipment as well as large-scale
industrial plants to produce pure products, and a full range of services
including process development, multi-ton scale custom purification and
performance optimisation. More than 1000 chromatographic systems have been
installed worldwide.

Novasep Synthesis produces complex molecules using proven and
innovative technologies. All pharmaceutical production sites are FDA
inspected. Novasep offers exclusive synthesis services from lab to commercial
scale to cover the special needs of the Pharmaceutical, Cosmetic and
Agrochemical industries. Novasep sells Reagents, Building Blocks and Generics
as well as performs multi-step synthesis for its customers.

For more information please visit Novasep website www.novasep.com
    or contact:

    Jean-Marc Le Rudulier
    Marketing & Communication Director
    Groupe Novasep
    Tel: +33-(0)-3-83-49-71-46
    jean-marc.le.rudulier@novasep.com

    For more information please visit the Chiral Technologies website
    www.chiral.fr www.chiraltech.com
    or contact:

    Frédéric Cheviron
    Marketing Manager
    Chiral Technologies Europe
    Tel: +33-(0)-3-88-79-20-00
    fcheviron@chiral.fr