Amersham Pharmacia Biotech Confirms Shipped 150 MegaBACE Sequencers.

SAN FRANCISCO--(BW HealthWire)--March 1, 1999--

Company Helps Accelerate Genomic Research Through Innovative DNA 

Sequencing Technology

Amersham Pharmacia Biotech announced today that more than 150 of its MegaBACE(TM) high throughput DNA sequencers have now been shipped to customers at leading research and academic institutions, as well as pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. The announcement came as researchers from around the world gather in San Francisco to hear about the latest advances in genomics research at the Genome Tri Conference, this week.

The major industrial and academic genome centers are now using Amersham Pharmacia Biotech's leading high-throughput DNA sequencing technology as part of their efforts to decode the human genome. In total, more than 20 leading organizations have now installed or committed to purchasing the MegaBACE 1000 DNA Sequencer.

"With the MegaBACE 1000 and our other cutting edge genetic analysis equipment, Amersham Pharmacia Biotech is providing the innovative technology that is helping to accelerate the completion of the Human Genome Project and revolutionize medicine," said Mike Evans, Amersham Pharmacia Biotech's vice-president for drug discovery. "Our research and development teams will be continuing to refine existing technologies and invent new techniques to help our customers remain at the forefront of this exciting field."

Amersham Pharmacia Biotech, the major international life sciences company is a joint venture owned by Nycomed Amersham and Pharmacia & Upjohn; it provides innovative and leading-edge technology solutions to the problems faced by researchers and engineers aiming to discover and produce new drugs and therapies, faster and more cost-effectively than ever before. The market leader in virtually all of its markets, the company's novel systems are used to sequence DNA, uncover the function of genes and proteins, separate biomolecules, screen potential drugs and manufacture biopharmaceuticals.

Notes to editors

-- In 1997 Amersham Pharmacia Biotech spent over $60 million on

research and development and applied for 30 patents to protect

new technology. It is this commitment to R&D that underpins the

company's successful track record in developing recognized key

technologies in the life sciences. These include: MegaBACE(TM),

the automated high-throughput DNA sequencer; Leadseeker(TM)

Homogenous Imaging System for high-throughput screening of new

potential drugs; AKTA(TM) design chromatography systems, which

are used for purification of biomolecules; and STREAMLINE(TM),

SOURCE(TM) and CHROMAFLOW(TM) for efficient downstream processing 

of biomolecules.

-- Amersham Pharmacia Biotech operates globally, with major research

and development and production facilities in Sweden, UK, USA, and

Japan. Combined with its latest acquisition, Molecular Dynamics,

generates sales of approximately $800 million annually and

employs 4,000 people world-wide.

-- The people who use Amersham Pharmacia Biotech's systems and

products work in international pharmaceutical, genetic and

biotechnology companies, as well as in leading research centers

world-wide. They are supported through an international network

of 33 marketing and sales offices, with a major emphasis on

Europe, North America and Japan, as well as on markets such as

the Asia Pacific region.

-- Amersham Pharmacia Biotech is a joint venture by two leading

international healthcare specialists - Nycomed Amersham plc and

Pharmacia & UpJohn Inc. In June 1997, they merged their

respective life science businesses - Amersham Life Sciences and

Pharmacia Biotech - to create one of the world's largest

suppliers of biotechnology products to those involved in medical

research.

Further media information

In North America please contact Marcy Saack at MCS, New Jersey at [phone]; outside North America, please contact Alexander Watson at Grayling, London on [phone].