Re Agreement

Avacta Group plc

Master Service Agreement with UCB Celltech

Avacta Analytical Limited, the wholly owned subsidiary of Avacta Group plc
("Avacta") which provides advanced biophysics services to the
biopharmaceutical, pharmaceutical, healthcare and personal care sectors, has
signed a three year Master Service Agreement ("MSA") with UCB Celltech, the UK
branch of UCB S.A. ("UCB").

As part of this agreement, Avacta will provide a broad spectrum of analytical
services which will include the biophysical analysis of the higher order
structure of biopharmaceuticals. The MSA will enter a rolling twelve month
contract phase once the initial three year period is complete.

Avacta specialises in using techniques from the physical sciences to provide
information, principally to biotech and healthcare clients, and in
co-developing new technologies with clients to satisfy needs in these important
sectors. Avacta believes that the use of biophysical techniques in the
elucidation of the higher order structure and physical properties of
biopharmaceuticals can provide information about the effects of processing and
formulation. This is critical to performance and assists in the early
development of biological therapeutics to bring new drugs to market more
efficiently and with significant cost savings.

Prof Alastair Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Avacta, commented:

"This agreement strengthens our working relationship with a high profile
biopharmaceutical client and strongly supports the wider acceptance of our
service offerings and technology in this sector. Furthermore, this agreement
helps validate Avacta's position as an industry expert and driving force in the
detailed biophysical characterisation of therapeutic molecules."

Richard Pither, Vice President NBE Research of UCB Celltech, commented:

"We have been working with Avacta for two years and this new rolling agreement
will allow us to work in even greater depth and breadth in the future."

29 November 2006

Enquiries:

Avacta Group plc                          Tel: [phone]                 
                                                                             
Alastair Smith, Chief Executive                                              
                                                                             
Nexus Financial Ltd                       Tel: [phone]                 
                                                                             
Nicholas Nelson                           [e-mail]   

Notes to Editors:

About Avacta

Avacta was spun-out from the University of Leeds in January 2004 by its current
management team as a biophysics company, with the aim of combining the
disciplines of physics and biology to develop innovative technologies to
address needs in the homeland security, pharmaceutical and clinical diagnostics
markets. The goal of Avacta is to integrate the best elements of each
discipline into technologies suitable to address specific identified needs in
the targeted markets. In seeking to achieve this goal Avacta intends to combine
its in-house expertise in laser spectroscopy, nanotechnology and
instrumentation engineering with its understanding of the versatility and
specificity of biology.

Avacta has two core activities:

  * the development of detection technology platforms designed to meet the
    needs of its target markets
   
  * the provision of analytical services relating to the chemical and physical
    analysis of materials to a range of companies, principally in the
    pharmaceutical, healthcare and personal care sectors.
   
Avacta was admitted to trading on AIM on 8th August 2006.

About UCB

UCB (www.ucb-group.com) is a leading global biopharmaceutical company dedicated
to the research, development and commercialisation of innovative pharmaceutical
and biotechnology products in the fields of central nervous system disorders,
allergy/respiratory diseases, immune and inflammatory disorders and oncology.
UCB focuses on securing a leading position in severe disease categories.
Employing over 8,300 people in over 40 countries, UCB achieved revenue of 2.3
billion euro in 2005. UCB is listed on the Euronext Brussels Exchange and its
worldwide headquarters are located in Brussels, Belgium.