Verenium Awarded U.S. Department of Energy Funding for Demonstration-Scale Facility

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 22, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Verenium Corporation
(VRNM), a pioneer in the development of next-generation cellulosic ethanol and
high-performance specialty enzymes, today announced that it has been awarded an
additional $4.9 million from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to fund ongoing
activities at its demonstration-scale facility in Jennings, Louisiana. This
cooperative agreement is an extension of the grant previously awarded to the
Company in July of 2008 under a DOE program supporting the development of
demonstration-scale cellulosic ethanol biorefinery plants.

"We are very pleased to receive this additional funding from the DOE,
particularly given the critical work currently being performed at Jennings to
optimize our cellulosic process," said Carlos A. Riva, President and Chief
Executive Officer at Verenium. "I believe this award demonstrates further the
DOE's support for our technology and commitment to developing a cellulosic
ethanol supply industry."

The Company plans to use the additional funds to support on-going cellulosic
technology and process optimization at its Jennings, LA demonstration facility.

About Verenium

Verenium Corporation is a leader in the development and commercialization of
cellulosic ethanol, an environmentally-friendly and renewable transportation
fuel, as well as high-performance specialty enzymes for applications within the
biofuels, industrial, and animal health markets. The Company possesses
integrated, end-to-end capabilities and cutting-edge technology in pre-treatment,
novel enzyme development, fermentation and project development for
next-generation biofuels. Through Vercipia, a 50-50 joint venture with BP, the
Company is moving rapidly to commercialize cellulosic technology for the
production of ethanol from a wide array of non-food feedstocks, including
dedicated energy crops, agricultural waste, and wood products. In addition to the
vast potential for biofuels, a multitude of large-scale industrial opportunities
exist for the Company for products derived from the production of low-cost,
biomass-derived sugars.

Verenium's Specialty Enzyme business harnesses the power of enzymes to create a
broad range of specialty products to meet high-value commercial needs. Verenium's
world class R&D organization is renowned for its capabilities in the rapid
screening, identification, and expression of enzymes-proteins that act as the
catalysts of biochemical reactions. For more information on Verenium, visit
http://www.verenium.com.