Accelrys Launches Nanotechnology Consortium; Consortium Brings Together Industry, Scientists and Academia to Spur Nanotechnology Innovation.

SAN DIEGO -- Enabling companies to bring nano-products to market more quickly and with reduced risk, Accelrys, Inc. (NASDAQ:ACCL), a leader in computer-aided nanodesign (CAN), today announced the launch of the Accelrys Nanotechnology Consortium. The goal of the Nanotech Consortium is to accelerate the development of software tools that enable the design of nanomaterials and nanodevices. Additionally, the Consortium will enhance nanotechnology R&D by fostering collaboration between scientists and engineers, two traditionally disparate groups within organizations. The Consortium provides a project framework and a detailed scientific proposal that addresses the challenges of rational nanomaterials and nanodevice design.

Members of the Nanotechnology Consortium include industrial researchers, academic experts, and Accelrys scientists, who are focused on developing, validating, and applying simulation to a particular research area. Members receive software, the right to provide formal input into Accelrys product plans, access to regular meetings at which experiences and ideas are shared, and dedicated application support. The Consortium also offers early access to cutting edge technology.

The consortium kicks off with a who's who list of members, partners and advisors. Charter members include Corning Incorporated, Fujitsu, e2v Technologies, Imperial College, London, and Uppsala University, Sweden.

"Close partnership and collaboration with industry is essential for Accelrys to develop software and services that help solve critical research problems," said Mark J. Emkjer, president and CEO of Accelrys. "This latest initiative is an extension of the successful Accelrys Consortium model, which has in the past delivered important advancements in areas such as catalysis and combinatorial chemistry."

"Consortiums bring industries together and provide the opportunity to drive solutions into the market," said David Morris, VP of Research & Development at Corning Inc. "We are excited about both the potential increase in the efficiency and effectiveness of our own R&D efforts, as well as the opportunity to fulfill the promise of enhanced rational design software tools."

The Consortium is an ongoing program, organized into phases of three years. The first phase runs from July 1, 2004 to August 31, 2007.

The first Nanotechnology Consortium Meeting was held October 3-6, at the New York Athletic Club on Central Park, Manhattan. It provided an opportunity for over 20 companies and institutions to learn more about the application of modeling in leading-edge industrial R&D, discuss the requirements for next-generation software tools with other experts, listen to world-leading academics talk about their work in extending the scale, precision, and functionality of molecular simulations and learn in detail about how the Consortium will translate these cutting-edge developments into software tools.

About Accelrys

Accelrys, Inc. (NASDAQ:ACCL) is a leading provider of software for computation, simulation, and the management and mining of scientific data used by biologists, chemists and materials scientists, including nanotechnology researchers for product design as well as drug discovery and development. Accelrys technology and services are designed to meet the needs of today's leading research organizations. The company is headquartered in San Diego, California. For more information about Accelrys, visit its website at http://www.accelrys.com/.

This press release contains forward-looking statements for purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act"). When used anywhere in this document, the words "expects," "believes," "anticipates," "estimates," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Examples of such forward-looking statements herein include statements regarding the future success of the Nanotechnology Consortium. Accelrys has based these forward-looking statements on its current expectations about future events. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the successful implementation of Accelrys' strategic plans, the acceptance of new products, the obsolescence of existing products, the resolution of existing and potential future patent issues, additional competition, changes in economic conditions, and other risks and uncertainties described in documents Accelrys has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent report on Form 10-Q. All forward-looking statements in this document are qualified entirely by the cautionary statements included in this document and such filings. These risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from results expressed or implied by forward-looking statements contained in this document. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this document. Accelrys claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Act and, disclaims any intent or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.