Medicago and Genopole(R) sign agreement for influenza vaccine production in France

    QUEBEC CITY, July 21 /CNW/ - Medicago Inc. (TSX-V: MDG), a biotechnology
company focused on developing highly effective and affordable vaccines based
on proprietary manufacturing technologies and Virus-Like Particles (VLP), and
Genopole(R) biopark (Evry, France), today announced that they have signed a
partnership agreement with a plan to build a commercial facility to
manufacture pandemic and seasonal influenza vaccines in France. Medicago and
Genopole(R) believe that this facility could complement France's existing
domestic influenza vaccine production infrastructure by offering surge
capacity of influenza vaccines before the first wave of a pandemic strikes.
This agreement builds on the feasibility study announced in July 2008 which
was successfully completed this year to evaluate the economic and
technological viability of a novel vaccine production facility in France.
    Genopole(R) and Medicago will work together to establish a
commercial-scale facility based on Medicago's Proficia(TM) plant-based
manufacturing technology and VLP vaccine technology on Genopole(R)'s site in
Evry, France. The new facility would initially produce pandemic and seasonal
influenza vaccines, and in the long-term could be used for a broad range of
vaccines and other biodefense related products. Construction of the facility
is conditional upon Medicago's successful completion of a Phase I clinical
trial with its H5N1 pandemic influenza vaccine and a reasonable level of
commitment by the French authorities to support this novel technology.
    "We are proud to be working with Genopole to contribute towards the
strengthening of France's health infrastructure," said Andy Sheldon, President
and CEO of Medicago. "This agreement is in line with our strategy to export
our rapid and cost-effective solution for the manufacturing of influenza
vaccines to enable countries worldwide to produce their own vaccines, within
their own borders."
    "We are delighted to be working with Medicago and their innovative
non-transgenic, plant-based manufacturing technology which has great promise
for the development of vaccines," said Pierre Tambourin, Director of Genopole.
"This new facility will support our biopark's leadership in innovation and
bioproduction by offering unique manufacturing capabilities to France and
Europe."

    About Genopole d'Evry

    Genopole(R) is the leading French science park dedicated to life
sciences. Its campus - near Paris - combines academic and private research
laboratories, university/higher education facilities, biotechnology companies,
and an incubator for biotech start-ups. Genopole(R) proposes the key benefits
of a rich and well-equipped environment: a high-level, multidisciplinary
research cluster in genomics and related sciences, a prosperous industrial
fabric and cutting-edge, shared-access infrastructure. Genopole(R)'s priority
is to promote therapy-focused biotech by providing optimal conditions for
company growth and progress in research, the development of large-scale
biological activities and to make France a major competitor in the world of
science and industry.

    About Medicago

    Medicago is committed to provide highly effective and affordable vaccines
based on proprietary Virus-Like Particle (VLP) and manufacturing technologies.
Medicago is developing VLP vaccines to protect against H5N1 pandemic
influenza, using a transient expression system which produces recombinant
vaccine antigens in non-transgenic plants. This technology has potential to
offer advantages of speed and cost over competitive technologies. It could
deliver a vaccine for testing in about a month after the identification and
reception of genetic sequences from a pandemic strain. This production time
frame has the potential to allow vaccination of the population before the
first wave of a pandemic strikes and to supply large volumes of vaccine
antigens to the world market. Additional information about Medicago is
available at www.medicago.com.

    Forward Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements which reflect
Medicago's current expectations regarding future events. The forward-looking
statements involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ
materially from those projected herein. Medicago disclaims any obligation to
update these forward-looking statements.The TSX Venture Exchange assumes no responsibility for the content or
    accuracy of this press release%SEDAR: 00023641EF

For further information: Medicago, Inc., Andy Sheldon, President and
CEO, [phone]; Medicago Inc., Arianna Vanin, Director, Investor
Relations, [phone], Genopole(R), Bénédicte Robert, [phone]
10, [e-mail]; Genopole(R), Joelle Dumas, [phone]
17, [e-mail]