Verenium Announces Proposed Public Offering of Common Stock

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Oct. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Verenium Corporation
(Nasdaq: VRNMD), a pioneer in the development of next-generation cellulosic
ethanol and high-performance specialty enzymes, today announced that it
intends to offer, subject to market, regulatory and other conditions, shares
of its common stock, and potentially warrants, in an underwritten public
offering. The offering is expected to price before 9:30 am EDT on Tuesday,
October 6, 2009. Lazard Capital Markets LLC is acting as the sole book-running
manager for the offering.

The securities described above are being offered by the Company pursuant to a
shelf registration statement which was filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC) and became effective on January 14, 2008. A prospectus
supplement describing the terms of this offering will be filed with the SEC
and forms part of the effective Registration Statement.

When available, copies of the final prospectus supplement and accompanying
base prospectus relating to this offering can be obtained at the SEC's website
at http://www.sec.gov or from Lazard Capital Markets LLC at 30 Rockefeller
Plaza, 60th Floor, New York, NY 10020.

This press release is not an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to
buy these securities, nor shall it constitute an offer, solicitation, or sale
in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale is unlawful.

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, 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.

Forward Looking Statements
Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical are
"forward-looking" and involve a high degree of risk and uncertainty. These
include, but are not limited to, statements related to the Company's
expectations regarding its fund raising efforts, including the closing of the
current public offering, its financial condition, operations, capabilities,
commercialization activities, and future financial performance, results and
objectives, all of which are prospective. Such statements are only
predictions, and actual events or results may differ materially from those
projected in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or
contribute to the differences include, but are not limited to, risks
associated with Verenium's ability to obtain additional capital to support its
planned operations and financial obligations, risks associated with the costs,
labor requirements and labor availability associated with operating its
business, including ethanol production, and risks and other uncertainties more
fully described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, including, but not limited to, the Company's annual report on Form
10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008 and any updates contained in its
subsequently filed quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. These forward-looking
statements speak only as of the date hereof, and the Company expressly
disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

Contacts:

Kelly Lindenboom Sarah Carmody
Vice President, Corporate Sr. Corporate Communications Associate
Communications
617-674-5335 617-674-5357
kelly.lindenboom@verenium.com sarah.carmody@verenium.com

SOURCE Verenium Corporation

Kelly Lindenboom, Vice President, Corporate Communications, +1-617-674-5335,
kelly.lindenboom@verenium.com, or Sarah Carmody, Sr. Corporate Communications
Associate, +1-617-674-5357, sarah.carmody@verenium.com, both of Verenium
Corporation