Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX Introduces Two New State-of-the-Art Mass Spectrometers.

FOSTER CITY, Calif. -- Extends Product Line and Provides Improved Performance for Proteomics and Small Molecule Applications

Applied Biosystems Group (NYSE:ABI), an Applera Corporation business, together with its joint venture partner MDS Sciex, a division of MDS Inc. (NYSE:MDZ) (TSX:MDS), today announced the launch of two new mass spectrometers, the 3200 Q TRAP(R) and the API 3200(TM) LC/MS/MS Systems with Turbo V(TM) Source for added sensitivity, throughput, and cost-effectiveness in mass spectrometry-based workflows. These systems are designed for food and beverage, environmental, forensic, clinical research, and pharmaceutical analysis markets.

By incorporating the Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX proven Turbo V(TM) source and API 4000(TM) LC/MS/MS System-series interface and ionization sources into a smaller platform, these new systems provide increased sensitivity, greater flexibility, and improved ease-of-use when compared to comparably priced instruments. The ceramic interface of the API 3200(TM) and 3200 Q TRAP(R) LC/MS/MS Systems reduces chemical background and improves sensitivity under LC conditions, yielding better efficiency, relative to older source technologies, especially at higher flow rates.

"These new instruments extend the unique capabilities of the API 4000(TM) LC/MS/MS System technology to two mid-level platforms at attractive prices, creating a tremendous value for the customer due to significantly improved sensitivity, throughput, and robustness," said Laura Lauman, Division President of the Proteomics and Small Molecule Business for Applied Biosystems.

The API 3200(TM) LC/MS/MS System with Turbo V(TM) source is a triple quadrupole for quantitation and analyte detection studies. The system provides improved performance, especially at high flow rates, allowing for easy method transfer from LC/UV to LC/MS/MS workflows. This method transfer to LC/MS/MS workflows offers the advantages of improved sensitivity, speed, and simplified sample preparation in the pharmaceutical analysis, environmental, and forensic markets. Additionally, because the Turbo V(TM) source family is now compatible with five Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX LC/MS/MS systems, method development can be carried out on these new instruments with simple transfer to the higher sensitivity systems.

"With three innovative new mass spectrometers released to date this year, Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX again demonstrates its commitment to continued leadership in mass spectrometry instrumentation," said Andy Boorn, Ph.D., President of MDS Sciex.

The 3200 Q TRAP(R) System is a hybrid triple quadrupole-linear ion trap for small molecule identification, characterization and quantification and protein biomarker discovery, validation, and quantification. The system provides greater than two-fold sensitivity increase in linear ion trap mode at all flow rates, and up to a 5-fold signal-to-noise increase in traditional triple quadrupole mode over its predecessor, the Q TRAP(R) LC/MS/MS System.

"The 3200 Q TRAP(R) and the API 3200(TM) LC/MS/MS systems add analytical options for customers in the applied markets of environmental, forensic, and food and beverage testing," said Mark Stevenson, Division President of the Applied Markets Business for Applied Biosystems. "Customers in these markets require robust, sensitive systems to identify, for example, contaminants at trace levels."

The 3200 Q TRAP System will be part of the new BIOiTRAQ(TM) Systems used for proteomics and biomarker studies and will incorporate the NanoSpray(R) source and nanoflow interface that were originally launched with the 4000 Q TRAP(R) LC/MS/MS system. For nanoflow applications, the heated nanoflow interface provides increased stability, ruggedness, flexibility and ease of use, especially for negative ion and polarity switching analyses when compared to other currently available systems.

About Applera Corporation and Applied Biosystems

Applera Corporation consists of two operating groups. The Applied Biosystems Group serves the life science industry and research community by developing and marketing instrument-based systems, consumables, software, and services. Customers use these tools to analyze nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), small molecules, and proteins to make scientific discoveries, develop new pharmaceuticals, and conduct standardized testing. Applied Biosystems is headquartered in Foster City, CA, and reported sales of $1.7 billion during fiscal 2004. The Celera Genomics Group (NYSE:CRA) is engaged principally in the discovery and development of targeted therapeutics for cancer, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Celera Genomics is leveraging its proteomic, bioinformatic, and genomic capabilities to identify and validate drug targets, and to discover and develop small molecule therapeutics. It is also seeking to advance therapeutic antibody and selected small molecule drug programs in collaboration with global technology and market leaders. Celera Diagnostics, a 50/50 joint venture between Applied Biosystems and Celera Genomics, is focused on discovery, development, and commercialization of diagnostic products. Information about Applera Corporation, including reports and other information filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, is available at http://www.applera.com, or by telephoning 800.762.6923. Information about Applied Biosystems is available at http://www.appliedbiosystems.com/.

About MDS Sciex and MDS Inc.

MDS Sciex is the analytical instrumentation and technology solutions division of MDS Inc. MDS Inc. has more than 9,000 highly skilled people in 25 countries. We provide a diverse range of superior products and services to increase our customers' speed, precision and productivity in the drug development and disease diagnosis processes. We are a global, values-driven health and life sciences company, recognized for our reliability and collaborative relationships as we help create better outcomes in the treatment of disease. Find out more at www.mdsintl.com or by calling 1-888-MDS-7222, 24 hours a day.

Applied Biosystems Forward-Looking Statement 

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking and subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties. These may be identified by the use of forward-looking words or phrases such as "should" among others. These forward-looking statements are based on Applera Corporation's current expectations. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for such forward-looking statements. In order to comply with the terms of the safe harbor, Applera Corporation

notes that a variety of factors could cause actual results and experience to differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties that may affect the operations, performance, development, and results of Applied Biosystems businesses include but are not limited to (1) rapidly changing technology and dependence on new products; (2) sales dependent on customers' capital spending policies and government-sponsored research; (3) claims for patent infringement; and (4) other factors that might be described from time to time in Applera Corporation's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

Copyright(C) 2005. Applera Corporation and MDS Inc. All rights reserved. Applied Biosystems and Celera are registered trademarks and Applera, BIOiTRAQ, Celera Diagnostics, and Celera Genomics are trademarks of Applera Corporation or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and/or certain other countries.

API 3200, 4000, 5000, and Turbo V are trademarks and Q TRAP and Nanospray are registered trademarks of Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX, a joint venture between Applera Corporation and MDS Inc.