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                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.26


                              OFFICER'S CERTIFICATE


         I, the undersigned, do hereby certify and represent that:

         1. I am the duly elected Senior Vice President and Chief Business
Officer of deCODE genetics, Inc., a Delaware Corporation.

         2. Pursuant to Rule 306(a) of Regulation S-T, the following exhibit
10.26 to deCODE genetics, Inc.'s Registration Statement on Form S-1 is a fair
and accurate English translation of a document prepared in the Icelandic
language.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have signed this Officer's Certificate in my
capacity as Senior Vice President and Chief Business Officer of deCODE genetics,
Inc. on this 7th day of March, 2000.



                                    By:     /s/  Hannes T. Smarason
                                            -------------------------------
                                    Name:   Hannes T. Smarason
                                    Title:  Senior Vice President and
                                            Chief Business Officer

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                                      LEASE



FRIDAR SF., REG. NO. 66.01.99-2929, domiciled at Efstasund 58, Reykjavik, as a
Lessor, and ISLENSK ERFDAGREINING EHF., REG. NO. 691295-3549, domiciled at
Lynghals 1, Reykjavik, as a Lessee, enter into the following

                                      Lease

1.   The Lessor leases to the lessee approximately 395 square meters of office
     space at Hlidarsmari 19 in Kopavogur, especially marked as storey No: 02-01
     in that building, including a share in the common area.

2.   Tenancy begins as of such time as the lessor delivers the storey, cf.
     description, see attached document Nos. 1 and 2. The tenancy shall,
     however, be considered to begin no later than 2 months after the design
     drawings for electrical installations and the interior of the house are on
     hand and have been approved by respective parties. Tenancy is 5 years.
     After that time the agreement may be terminated with at least 6 months'
     notice by either party. The Lessee may sublet the premises with the consent
     of the Lessor. Following the term of tenancy this lease agreement shall be
     extended without a fixed term.

3.   The rent is determined at ISK 950 pr. square meter, per month. The rent
     will be adjusted based on the consumer price index every 3 months,
     calculating as the base price index the month the lessee leases the
     premises. Monthly rent is calculated from the first day of each month to
     the first day of the following month and shall be paid in advance, one
     month at a time. The final due date of payment shall be calculated 15 days
     later. Penalty interest is calculated as of the 16th day, if rent has not
     been paid by the final due date, at the posted penalty interest rate
     current at any time.

     Electricity and heating is not included in the rent, considering the
     proposed use of the place by the lessee. The lessee shall pay all
     electrical and heating costs of the property defined above, No. 02-01, on
     the same conditions as above regarding payment of rent with respect to due
     dates and final payment dates. The Lessee shall pay a maintenance fee every
     month, as decided at each time, based on the proportion between the storey
     and the entire building, i.e. 10.99%. The maintenance fee covers the
     expense of operating the common area.

4.   The Lessee undertakes to treat the leased property with care and
     cleanliness. The Lessee shall pay full compensation for any damage that he
     may cause with careless treatment of the leased property. In addition, he
     shall attend to all indoor maintenance in the leased premises at his own
     cost, as of the time that the Lease takes effect and the Lessor has
     fulfilled his obligations in relation to the delivery of the storey, cf.
     the attached documents Nos. 1 and 2. The Lessor shall attend to and pay the
     cost of all ordinary outdoor maintenance and pay all public levies on the
     premises.



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5.   In the event that the Lessee moves from the premises, he shall return it in
     good order in every respect other than normal wear. When the tenancy period
     has ended or on termination of the tenancy, all fixed appurtenances shall
     become the property of the Lessor, whereas all unfixed facilities which the
     Lessee uses in the office are his property which he may remove when the
     tenancy period has ended. During the tenancy, the Lessee may make changes
     to the office at his own cost and in consultation with the Lessor, whose
     property such changes shall become as provided for above.

6.   In the event of material default on the part of the Lessee, the Lessor may
     require that the Lessee vacate the leased property.

7.   This Lease shall be subject to the provisions of the Leasehold Act No.
     36/1994 in so far as no agreement to the contrary has been made, as
     applicable. This Lease is made in two identical copies one to be held by
     each of the parties to this Lease.

8.   Any dispute arising out of this Lease shall be brought before the District
     Court of Reykjavik.

9.   In witness whereof, the Lessor and Lessee attach their signatures below in
     the presence of witnesses.




                          Reykjavik, 18 February 1999.

For the Lessor,                                   For the Lessee,

ssorvarour Gunnarsson [sign.]                     Hannes Smarason [sign.]


Witnesses to the correct date,
the legal competence of the
parties to manage  their financial affairs,
and their signatures.

Unreadable [sign.] 300863-4859
Unreadable [sign.] 200564-2279