DECATUR, Ill., Oct. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Tate & Lyle, a world leader in renewable ingredients, and Microbia Precision Engineering, Inc, today have formed a multi-year partnership to develop fermentation-derived renewable ingredients. Precision Engineering(R), a subsidiary of US-based entrepreneurial pharmaceutical company Microbia, specializes in the development of highly efficient microbial manufacturing technology. Tate & Lyle is one of the world's major fermentation producers with long standing experience in fermentation markets, process development, manufacturing and carbohydrate feedstock supply. The partnership will leverage these synergies. As part of the agreement, Tate & Lyle will invest US$7 million to acquire a minority shareholding in Microbia Precision Engineering, Inc, and take one seat on the board. In addition, Tate & Lyle will invest a further US$13.75 million in research and development over a period of five years. The two companies will work exclusively together within defined renewable ingredient markets and will share the profits from products commercialized through their collaboration. The partnership will stimulate new product development and reduce time to commercialization. Prospective third-party collaborators will be able to work with the new partnership and benefit from access to the complete value chain from feedstock to manufactured fermentation product. Iain Ferguson, Chief Executive, Tate & Lyle said, "In the last decade, Tate & Lyle has established fermentation as a core technological competency. This has proved a catalyst for new product development, leading to ground- breaking ingredients such as Bio-PDO(TM) (developed with our joint venture partners DuPont). We look forward to partnering with Precision Engineering(R). Their excellent reputation in the field of microbial technology is well deserved." "This collaboration marks an important step in the development of our Precision Engineering(R) business into a product-based organization," said Richard Bailey, President of the Microbia Precision Engineering, Inc. subsidiary. "Not only are we aligning ourselves with an established and well- respected company, but we are retaining the rights to become full commercial partners for products we introduce into the collaboration which will contribute to our continued growth." About Tate & Lyle: Tate & Lyle is a world leading manufacturer of renewable food and industrial ingredients. It uses innovative technology to transform corn, wheat and sugar into value-added ingredients for customers in the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, paper, packaging and building industries. The Company is a leader in cereal sweeteners and starches, sugar refining, value added food and industrial ingredients, and citric acid. Tate & Lyle is the world number-one in industrial starches and is the sole manufacturer of SPLENDA(R) Sucralose. Tate & Lyle is one of the world's major fermentation producers having 17 fermentation plants on four continents. Its portfolio includes biogums (such as xanthan gum), Aquasta(R), a natural source of astaxanthin (in partnership with Igene); industrial chemical and polymer ingredient Bio-PDO(TM) (in partnership with DuPont); citric acid; monosodium glutamate (Orsan Guangzhou venture); potable alcohol; and fuel grade ethanol. Headquartered in London, Tate & Lyle is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the symbol TATE.L. In the US its ADRs trade under TATYY. The Company operates more than 65 production facilities in 29 countries, throughout Europe, the Americas and South East Asia. It employs 7,000 people in its subsidiaries with a further 4,800 employed in joint ventures. Sales in the year to 31 March 2006 totaled 3.7 billion pounds Sterling. Additional information can be found on this website. SPLENDA(R) is a trademark of McNeil Nutritionals, LLC About Microbia Precision Engineering, Inc: Microbia Precision Engineering, Inc. is a majority-owned subsidiary of Microbia Inc. (http://www.microbia.com/), a privately held entrepreneurial pharmaceutical company located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Microbia was spun off from the Whitehead Institute of Biomedical Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The Precision Engineering(R) business develops highly efficient bioprocesses for a range of applications, both for internal development and in collaboration with leading chemical, pharmaceutical, and renewable ingredients manufacturers. Collaborations have been established with well-respected multinational companies such as DuPont, Novus International, Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd., Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Tate & Lyle PLC, and Biocon Ltd. DATASOURCE: Tate & Lyle PLC CONTACT: For more press / investor information, Tate & Lyle PLC, Mark Robinson (Investor Relations) +44-(0)20-7626-6525, , Ferne Hudson (Press), +44-(0)20-7626-6525, ; Microbia Precision Engineering, Inc., Susan Brady (Corporate Communications), +1-617-621-8304, ; For more information on working with the partnership: Tate & Lyle PLC: Jeff Lievense, +1-217-421-3235, ; Pete Castelli, +1-217-421-2566, ; Microbia Precision Engineering, Inc, Richard Bailey (President), +1-617-621-8337, Web site: http://www.microbia.com/

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