INDENA OBTAINS ECOCERT VALIDATION 
FOR OPEXTAN^TM AND ZANTHALENE^®

Milan, September 17th, 2008 - Indena, the world's leading company dedicated to the identification, development and production of active principles derived from plants, has today announced that ECOCERT has validated for use in cosmetic formulations certified according to ecological and organic standards its products Opextan^TM and Zanthalene^®.

Global sales of natural & organic cosmetics approached sales US $7 billion in 2007. Organic Monitor projects global natural cosmetics market revenues to surpass US $10 billion before 2010. At that time, the market share of natural & organic products of total cosmetics is projected to near 10% in countries like Germany and the US.

Ecocert is an internationally recognized logo for use in natural and organic cosmetics and Indena customers can now get validated ingredients for their natural cosmetics.

Opextan^TM is a patented olive fruit extract specifically designed for topical and oral beauty formulations. Clinical and pharmacological data support its efficacy in protecting the skin from oxidation due to sun rays.
Zanthalene^® is obtained from Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim by hypercritic CO2 extraction, a "green" process involving no solvents. Zanthalene^® is a remarkable example of success of ethnopharmacology: it is a perennial plant native to China and is widely used in its country of origin as a spice to reduce the irritating properties of some foods and as a treatment for gastrointestinal pain. Indena has studied and patented its use in cosmetic products demonstrating in different clinical trails its anti-itching and soothing properties, making this ingredient a premium ingredient for sensitive skins.

Commenting on the news, Christian Artaria, Indena Marketing Director, has said: "consumers are increasingly looking for active and natural products, free of chemicals and other issues such related to the environment and sustainability. Indena is answering this demand producing natural active ingredients for the last 85 years. Thanks to this official validation we will further help our customers getting Ecocert certification, thus matching the increasing needs of market for these products". 

INDENA PROFILE:
Indena is the world's leading company dedicated to the identification, development and production of active principles derived from plants, for use in the pharmaceutical, health food and cosmetics industries. The key to Indena's success is its research, covering: the screening of medicinal plants for their pharmacological benefits, the identification of new active principles and the development of extraction and purification systems at the cutting-edge of industrial application. Backed up by over 80 years of botanical experience, the phyto-chemical research is carried out in Indena's own Settala Research Center, near Milan. Indena also co-operates with the world's most prestigious universities and private research institutions in the biological assessment of safety and effectiveness up to clinical phase I. The company has more than 150 primary patents and has published around 700 scientific studies. Indena, with more than 700 employees, including 10% dedicated to full-time research, manages cultivation, manufacturing, and distribution operations in more than 40 countries. Headquartered in Milan, Indena has 5 production sites and 5 international branches throughout the world. The Company's experts communicate and interact constantly with the major international regulatory authorities such as WHO, EMEA, and ESCOP, and work with all the main pharmacopoeias.

ECOCERT:
ECOCERT is a control and certification organisation, whose activities are governed accordingly by the public authorities and legislation. ECOCERT is accredited for structure and procedures by COFRAC (French committee for accreditation), in accordance with guide standard ISO 65 (EN 45011), which requires independence, competence and impartiality. ECOCERT sets up standards in parnership with professionals, according to a tested methodology. These standards are based on objective and measurable criteria. ECOCERT insures the conception of a inspection plan, aiming at quality, origin and traceability.
Further Information on Indena:
www.indena.com 

Further Information on ECOCERT:
www.ecocert.com 

Indena Press Contacts
Cohn & Wolfe Milan
Laura Faravelli laura_faravelli@cohnwolfe.com
Lorenzo Petracco lorenzo_petracco@cohnwolfe.com
Tel.+39 02 202391