Avantium Launches Initial Public Offering on Euronext Amsterdam

Amsterdam, November 5 (ots/PRNewswire) -

- Highlights

- Offer Price Expected to be in the Range of EUR12.50 to EUR16.00
Per Share

- Offer Size Between EUR20 Million and EUR30 Million

- Subscription Starts Today, 5 November 2007, and is Expected to
End on 15 November 2007

- Trading on Eurolist by Euronext Amsterdam Expected to Commence
on or About 16 November 2007

Avantium, a leading technology company in the area of advanced
high-throughput R&D, announces today the details of its planned
Initial Public Offering (IPO) on Eurolist by Euronext Amsterdam. The
offering consists of new shares for an amount between EUR20 million
and EUR30 million, with the price range set at EUR12.50 to EUR16.00
per share. The prospectus will be available as of 5 November 2007 and
the offering period will begin on 5 November 2007. Fortis has been
appointed as Sole Global Coordinator and Bookrunner for this
transaction.

Tom van Aken, Chief Executive Officer of Avantium: "We are very
excited about making a major step in our history by launching its
initial public offering on Euronext Amsterdam. The funds that we
intend to raise by the IPO will be used to finance our exciting
product development programs. The public offering will enable us to
realise our growth plans and to increase our visibility as an
innovative company with a focus on renewable technology solutions."

Details of the offering

- The offering (the "Offer") consists of between EUR20 million and
EUR30 million in newly issued shares with a nominal value of EUR0.16
per share (the "Offer Shares").

- The price range has been set at EUR12.50 to EUR16.00 per share.

- Avantium has granted Fortis an option exercisable within 30
calendar days after the first trading date pursuant to which Fortis
may require Avantium to issue additional new shares at the final
offer price for an amount up to 15% of the amount of the Offer to
cover over-allotments made in connection with the Offer and short
positions arising from stabilization transactions.

- The Offer Shares will be offered to institutional and retail
investors in the Netherlands and to institutional investors in
certain other jurisdictions, excluding the United States.

- A maximum of two percent of the Offer Shares is reserved for a
preferential treatment of Avantium's employees if they subscribe for
the Offer Shares pursuant to the Offer.

- Preferential treatment may also be given to applications
received from Dutch retail investors before 17:30 hours (Amsterdam
time) on 9 November 2007 in the event that the Offer is
oversubscribed.

- The subscription period for the Offer Shares will commence on 5
November 2007 and will end on 15 November 2007 at 17:30 hours
(Amsterdam time), subject to acceleration or extension of the
timetable for the Offer. Any extension of the timetable for the Offer
will be for a minimum of one full business day. The subscription
period will be for a minimum of six business days. Avantium reserves
the right to change the price range and to increase the maximum
amount of the Offer prior to the end of the subscription period. Any
change in the offer price range or the maximum amount of the Offer on
the last day of the subscription period will result in an extension
of the subscription period of at least two full business days.

- The actual number of Offer Shares and the final offer price will
be determined after the end of the subscription period and will be
announced on or about 16 November 2007. The actual number of Offer
Shares and the final offer price will be incorporated in a pricing
statement which will be deposited with the Netherlands Authority for
the Financial Markets (Stichting Autoriteit Financiële Markten) (the
"AFM") and will be announced by means of a press release, an
advertisement in the Daily Official List and in at least one national
newspaper distributed daily in the Netherlands.

- The allotment will occur following the end of the subscription
period and is expected to occur on or about 16 November 2007 prior to
start of trading on Eurolist by Euronext Amsterdam. Fortis, in
consultation with Avantium, may allocate the shares at its own
discretion. Consequently, investors may receive a smaller number of
Offer Shares than they applied to subscribe for, or none at all.

- Avantium will apply for admission of its shares to listing and
trading on Eurolist by Euronext Amsterdam under the symbol A. Trading
of its shares on Eurolist by Euronext Amsterdam is expected to
commence on or about 16 November 2007 on an "as-if-and-when-issued"
basis.

- The settlement date of the Offer is expected to be on or about
21 November 2007, which is the third business day following the date
on which trading is expected to commence on Eurolist by Euronext
Amsterdam.

Company overview

Avantium, established as a spin-off from Royal Dutch Shell in
2000, has developed advanced high-throughput R&D technology. Its
proprietary technology enables the company to conduct many automated
experiments in parallel on a very small scale, providing fast and
cost effective research at superior success rates. Avantium has
demonstrated the validity and commercial viability of its unique,
patented technology and expertise by providing R&D services and tools
to its clients in the energy, chemicals and pharmaceutical
industries. The company services more than 70 companies worldwide,
including many market leaders such as BP, Royal Dutch Shell, Sasol,
Pfizer, Boehringer Ingelheim and GlaxoSmithKline. Building on its
track record and proven technology, Avantium plans to raise funds
through an IPO to further grow its business by advancing its exciting
product development programs in the fields of next generation
biofuels and improved forms of existing drugs.

Use of proceeds

Avantium intends to use the net proceeds it receives from the
Offer for:

- advancing its biofuels and pharmaceutical development programs;

- reinforcing and expanding its technology and intellectual
property portfolio;

- expanding the capacity of its services and tools business in
terms of equipment and personnel; and

- general corporate purposes, including working capital
requirements, capital expenditures and acquisitions if and when they
present themselves.

Prospectus

For more information on the Offer and Avantium please refer to the
prospectus dated 2 November 2007. An advertisement regarding the
general availability of the prospectus will be published today.
Copies of the prospectus as approved by the AFM can be obtained in
electronic form from the website of Euronext Amsterdam N.V.
(http://www.euronext.com) and Avantium (http://www.avantium.com)
(Dutch residents only) or can be obtained in hard copy free of charge
from Fortis Bank (Nederland) N.V., Rokin 55, 1012 KK Amsterdam
(e-mail: prospectus@nl.fortis.com).

NOT FOR RELEASE, DISTRIBUTION OR PUBLICATION INTO OR IN THE UNITED
STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA AND JAPAN.

This announcement is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of any
offer to buy the securities of Avantium (the "Company", and such
securities, the "Securities") in the United States or in any other
jurisdiction.

The Securities have not been and will not be registered under the
U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") and
may not be offered or sold in the United States unless registered
under the Securities Act or an exemption from such registration is
available. No public offering of Securities of the Company is being
made in the United States. This communication is directed at and
distributed only to (i) persons outside the United Kingdom, or (ii)
persons having professional experience in matters relating to
investments who fall within the definition of "investment
professionals" in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets
Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 or (iii) high net worth
companies, unincorporated associations and partnerships and trustees
of high value trusts as described in Article 49(2) of the Financial
Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005. Any
investment or investment activity to which this communication relates
is available only to and will be engaged in only with such persons.

In connection with the offering, Fortis Bank (Nederland) N.V. (the
"Stabilization Manager") (or persons acting on behalf of the
Stabilization Manager) may over-allot shares or effect transactions
with a view to supporting the market price of the Securities at a
level higher than that which might otherwise prevail. However, there
is no assurance that the Stabilization Manager (or persons acting on
behalf of the Stabilization Manager) will undertake stabilization
action. Any stabilization action may begin on or after the date on
which adequate public disclosure of the final offer price of the
Securities is made and, if begun, may be ended at any time, but it
must end no later than 30 days after allotment of the Securities.

All investment is subject to risk. The value of the Securities
offered may go down as well as up. Past performance is no guarantee
of future returns. Potential investors are advised to seek expert
financial advice before making any investment decision.

This announcement does not constitute a prospectus. The offer to
acquire securities pursuant to the proposed offering will be made,
and any investor should make his investment, solely on the basis of
information that will be contained in the prospectus to be made
generally available in The Netherlands in connection with such
offering. Copies of the prospectus as approved by the AFM can be
obtained in electronic form from the website of Euronext Amsterdam
N.V. (http://www.euronext.com) and Avantium (http://www.avantium.com)
(Dutch residents only) or can be obtained in hard copy free of charge
from Fortis Bank (Nederland) N.V., Rokin 55, 1012 KK Amsterdam
(e-mail: prospectus@nl.fortis.com).

PRN NLD

ots Originaltext: Avantium Technologies B.V.
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
Further information: For more information about this press release
please contact: Citigate First Financial, José Tijssen, Phone:
+31-20-575 4010, Email: Jose.Tijssen@citigateff.nl