Sittingbourne, Kent UK, 27 November 2007 ??? Vivacta announced today that it had raised $12 million from a successful Series B financing round. This will be used to drive forward the commercialisation and launch of its first, highly sensitive Point of Care (PoC) immunoassay system, based on its patented piezofilm sensor technology.

Commenting on the deal, Neil Butler, CEO, said, ???We were pleased to have the deal co-led by two very strong European Venture Capital firms, AGF Private Equity and HBM BioVentures. Our existing investors, Spark Ventures and Viking, both chose to follow on which is a very strong endorsement of Vivacta???s technology platform and our approach to its commercialisation???.

AGF Private Equity and HBM BioVentures will be further strengthening the Vivacta Board through the appointment of two well-known diagnostic industry leaders - Gerry Moeller and Gerard Vaillant. Gerry was previously Chief Executive of the Boehringer Mannheim group and after its acquisition joined the management board of Roche. Gerard Vaillant chaired the diagnostics division of J&J, and acted as CEO and President of Ortho Clinical and Lifescan. Neil Butler believes that, ???With our existing Chairman, Rolf Classon, and Director, Werner Schaefer, these new appointments give us a Board with more combined industry know how than probably any other privately held  diagnostics company.???

Vivacta is currently finalising the reader and cartridge for its rapid, highly sensitive, piezo film-based immunoassay system. It intends to begin clinical evaluation of its first PoC application, TSH, in 2008. In-line with its commercialisation plans, Vivacta is in the process of doubling the size of its facility in the Kent Science Park. This will allow the company to add a pilot manufacturing line for its disposable cartridge.

Vivacta is already in discussion with a number of potential licensees that are interested in the opportunity to commercially exploit its unique piezofilm technology.

About AGF Private Equity
With close to ???2Bn under management, AGF Private Equity, a member of the Allianz Group, is specialized in non -listed investments. Among the leading French funds, AGF Private Equity???s venture branch manages ???300M, and has invested in more than 60 high tech companies. As one of the most active venture firms in Europe, AGF Private Equity is a strong partner of growth companies. For more details, visit http://www.agfpe.com/.

About HBM BioVentures
HBM BioVentures invests worldwide in private and small-cap public companies in the humane medicine / biotechnology and medical technology sectors. With assets of more than CHF 1 billion, HBM BioVentures has holdings in over 50 life sciences companies in Europe, North America and China. Out of HBM BioVentures??? private portfolio, more than 25 companies went public or were sold to a strategic partner. For more details, visit:  http://www.hbmbioventures.com/en/01-unternehmen/profil.asp?navanchor=1010001.

About SPARK Ventures
SPARK Ventures is the leading quoted early-stage venture capital company in Europe. It manages ??240 million on behalf of major institutional investors, leading UK universities, and three quoted venture capital trusts. SPARK invests in entrepreneurs to create dynamic businesses in the technology, media, telecoms and healthcare & life sciences sectors. As well as capital, it brings a wealth of experience of developing high growth companies from early stage through to IPO or trade sale, adding value to its investments through active support and strategic direction. The company, which was formerly known as NewMedia SPARK, announced its re-launch as SPARK Ventures in October.  For more details, visit: www.sparkventures.com

About Vivacta
Vivacta Limited is a medical diagnostic company that is developing a patented ultra-sensitive Piezofilm-based technique for rapid point-of-care (PoC) testing. This novel technology can quickly deliver a laboratory quality analysis of whole blood samples, without the need for cell separation. Based in the Kent Science Park and employing 20 scientists, Vivacta has strong venture capital funding and an ambitious growth strategy designed to rapidly commercialise its innovative product. Vivacta will initially offer a TSH test, but aims to partner larger diagnostic companies to provide immunoassay and molecular diagnostic tests to all parts of the fast-growing point-of-care (PoC) market. Information on Vivacta and its technology can be found at http://www.vivacta.com/.
Issued on behalf of Vivacta by De Facto Communications

For further information, contact:
Kevin Payne

De Facto

44 207 861 3023

k.payne@defacto.com

Neil Butler

Vivacta

44 1795 419400

nb@vivacta.com