Genencor International, Inc. today named Dr. Debby Jo Blank its chief business officer, health care and agriculture products. In her role with the industrial biotechnology company, Blank will focus her efforts on the company's health care and agricultural platforms and how best to maximize these new business opportunities.

"We welcome Debby Jo to Genencor and expect her to be a great addition to our management
team,'' said Tom Mitchell, president and CEO, Genencor International.

Dr. Blank joins Genencor after serving as executive vice president of Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. of
Carlsbad, Calif. She has also held several key senior management positions including vice
president, worldwide marketing with DuPont Merck Pharmaceuticals; vice president, marketing
withy Syntex Laboratories; senior vice president, marketing, Advanced Technology Laboratories
and president and chief operating officer, Cypress Bioscience.

Dr. Blank received her bachelor of arts from Stanford University and an M.D. degree from Tufts
University School of Medicine. She also completed her MBA curriculum from the Sloan School
of Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Genencor International develops genetically based biotechnology products for industrial
chemicals, agriculture, and health care markets. The company has principal corporate offices in
Palo Alto, CA, Rochester, N.Y. and Leiden, The Netherlands. 

Company news release
N2668