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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
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FORM 8-K
Current Report Filed Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report
(Date of earliest event reported): February 7, 2000
ENERGY BIOSYSTEMS CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
<TABLE>
<S> <C> <C>
Delaware 0-21130 04-3078857
(State or other jurisdiction of (Commission File Number) (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
incorporation or organization)
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4200 Research Forest Drive
The Woodlands, Texas 77381
(Address of principal
executive offices
and zip code)
(281) 364-6100
(Registrant's telephone number,
including area code)
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ITEM 5. OTHER EVENTS
On February 7, 2000, Energy BioSystems Corporation (the "Company")
issued a press release announcing that it has completed the demonstration of a
new, proprietary gene shuffling technology. Gene shuffling is a method to create
a new, proprietary genes coding for enzymes with improved properties. The
Company has successfully applied the technology to its biodesulfurization
development efforts and is now exploring opportunities for the technology in
areas beyond biorefining including the chemical, pharmaceutical and agricultural
biotechnology sectors.
The press release is filed as an exhibit to this Current Report on Form
8-K and is incorporated by reference herein.
ITEM 7. EXHIBITS
Exhibit 99.1 -- Press Release
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
ENERGY BIOSYSTEMS CORPORATION
Date: February 7, 2000
By: /s/ Paul G. Brown, III
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Paul G. Brown, III
Vice President, Finance and
Administration and Chief
Financial Officer
\ EXHIBIT 99.1
Energy BioSystems Corporation Demonstrates Proprietary Gene Shuffling Technology
THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS (February 7, 2000) . . .Energy BioSystems
Corporation (NASDAQ:ENBC) announced today that it has completed the
demonstration of a new, proprietary gene shuffling technology. Gene shuffling is
a powerful method to create millions of new variant genes coding for enzymes
with improved properties. The company has successfully applied the technology to
its biodesulfurization development efforts and is now exploring opportunities
for the technology in areas beyond biorefining including the chemical,
pharmaceutical and agricultural biotechnology sectors. "Difficulties with
existing methods to generate genetic diversity prompted us to develop our own
technologies," noted Dr. Daniel J. Monticello, Vice President of Research and
Development at ENBC. "We've successfully used this new gene shuffling technique
in our directed evolution program to combine the best properties of related
desulfurization enzymes and generate superior strains. Our approach has
important advantages over known technologies and has accelerated our development
program." Dr. Monticello will be disclosing certain details of the technology
and its implications to ENBC's projects at the IBC "Annual World Congress on
Enzyme Technologies 2000" in February (www.ibcusa.com).
Dr. Peter Policastro, CEO and President of ENBC, indicated that the
technology was part of a comprehensive effort to expand the Company's
capabilities. "In 1999, we implemented a strategic initiative to capitalize on
our unique genetic capabilities. The demonstration of our proprietary gene
shuffling technology creates both new and complementary business opportunities.
Our gene shuffling technology has already made a significant impact on our
biodesulfurization program. We intend to apply these capabilities to other
projects in the ENBC pipeline and to other opportunities as we identify them."
Energy BioSystems Corporation is a biotechnology company applying
state-of-the art, proprietary directed evolution techniques to accelerate the
development and commercialization of biocatalyst-based processes for petroleum
refining, petrochemicals and fine chemicals production. The Company's primary
focus has been development of biocatalytic desulfurization (BDS), a proprietary
process involving the use of enzymes to remove sulfur from oil. Additional
information about Energy BioSystems is available at the company's web site:
www.energybiosystems.com.
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This document contains forward-looking statements that are subject to
certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including but not limited to, the
company's ability to raise additional capital on a timely basis on favorable
terms, the development of the company's proprietary technology, government
regulations, competitive technologies, and the company's ability to control
expenditures. Should one or more of such risks and uncertainties materialize, or
should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary
materially from those indicated in such forward-looking statements. For a
discussion of such risks and assumptions, see "Risk Factors" included in the
company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1998.
