June 26, 2008

4 Min Read
Eastern European supplement leader Walmark launches prenatal product featuring Martek's life'sDHA(TM)

Martek Biosciences (Nasdaq: MATK) announced today that life'sDHA(TM), its patented, vegetarian form of DHA-omega 3 essential for infant brain and eye development, is now available to Eastern European consumers in the new Pregnium prenatal supplement from Walmark. Featuring 200 mg per serving of life'sDHA, Pregnium is available at major retailers in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania.

"There is a strong body of scientific evidence supporting the importance of DHA to pregnant women and the development and health of their babies," said John Dobson, Martek's managing director of sales and marketing for Europe. "Martek is pleased to be working with Eastern European supplements leader Walmark to make a trusted source of DHA available to consumers in this part of the world."

DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) omega-3 is a long-chain omega-3 fatty acid that serves as a primary building block for the brain and the eyes and supports brain, eye and cardiovascular health throughout life. There is a large and growing body of scientific evidence demonstrating that people of all ages, from infants to aging adults, benefit from an adequate supply of DHA omega-3 in their diets. Scientific reviews have noted the importance of DHA omega-3 in proper brain and eye development and function, and there are clinical studies underway to evaluate its role in decreasing the prevalence of certain neurological disorders.

DHA is important throughout pregnancy, particularly in the third trimester when significant brain growth occurs. Maternal DHA supplementation during pregnancy and nursing significantly enhances the level of DHA available to the fetus and infant. Studies have shown that maternal DHA supplementation may improve infant developmental outcomes, such as eye-hand coordination, motor skills and attention span. Women of childbearing age who consume a typical Western diet are at risk for low stores of DHA. This is because the primary dietary source of DHA is fatty fish, a dietary choice that is not typically a staple of the Western diet. Additionally, expert bodies have advised pregnant and nursing women to limit their consumption of certain types of fish due to the potentially high levels of toxins such as mercury.

Fish are often thought to be the only source of DHA omega-3. However, life'sDHA offers a trusted, vegetarian form of DHA that contains no oceanic pollutants and toxins. Fish are good sources of DHA because of the DHA-rich microalgae in their food chain; life'sDHA is derived from microalgae and produced in an FDA-inspected facility from start to finish using a sustainable source that does not deplete ocean resources. life'sDHA is found in numerous foods, beverages and supplements for people of all ages. It is also the only source of DHA used in U.S. infant formula and is available in more than 95 percent of the formulas on the U.S. market and in infant formula products sold in more than 75 countries around the world.

A modern pharmaceutical company specializing in the manufacture and sale of nutritional supplements and pharmaceuticals, Walmark leads the supplements market in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria and is one of the top three market leaders in Poland, Hungary and Lithuania. Exporting to more than 20 countries in the world, including regions in Europe and the Middle and the Far East, Walmark maintains a successful product portfolio of nutritional supplements and continues to develop products in the pharmaceutical and sports nutrition segments.

Martek Biosciences Corporation (Nasdaq: MATK) is a leader in the innovation and development of DHA omega-3 products that promote health and wellness through every stage of life. The company produces life'sDHA(TM), a sustainable and vegetarian source of the omega-3 fatty acid DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), for use in foods, beverages, infant formula, and supplements. The company also produces life'sARA(TM) (arachidonic acid), an omega-6 fatty acid, from a sustainable, vegetarian source, for use in infant formula. For more information on Martek Biosciences Corporation, visit www.martek.com. For a complete list of products containing life'sDHA, visit www.lifesdha.com.

Sections of this release contain forward-looking statements. These statements are based upon numerous assumptions which Martek cannot control and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ. These statements should be understood in light of the risk factors set forth in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, the company's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2007 and other filed reports on Form 10-K, Form 10-K/A, Form 10-Q and Form 8-K.

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