Applied Biosystems and Deloitte Consulting LLP Announce a Strategic Alliance to Provide Comprehensive Informatics Solutions to the Life Science Marketplace.

FOSTER CITY, Calif. -- Solutions to Be Designed for Life Science Research and Development, Clinical Research, and Forensics Laboratories

Applied Biosystems (NYSE:ABI), an Applera Corporation business, and Deloitte Consulting LLP, a leading professional services and consulting provider, today announced the signing of a strategic alliance agreement to provide a broad range of services to deliver comprehensive informatics solutions to life science markets. The alliance combines Deloitte's extensive experience in life science systems development and deployment with Applied Biosystems' extensive knowledge and experience in life science technology development and laboratory management systems. Applied Biosystems is hosting a press conference today at 10:00 a.m. ET to discuss the alliance at the Pittsburgh Conference (PITTCON) in banquet room N220G at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL, U.S.A.

The alliance is expected to provide solutions that include laboratory integration, instrument integration, protocol development and deployment, application development, workflow automation, and data management and analysis for a wide range of applications, including life science research and development, clinical research, and forensics. Applied Biosystems and Deloitte Consulting LLP are currently engaged with a number of early-adopter customers, and are soliciting others, in order to demonstrate how their solutions can work for particular applications and environments. In addition to this alliance, the two companies expect to jointly announce the introduction of scalable, turnkey solutions during 2005.

"Through our work with a number of customers, ranging from individual laboratories to enterprise-wide research facilities, Applied Biosystems recognizes the need for better data integration and advanced informatics solutions," said Catherine M. Burzik, President of Applied Biosystems. "By combining the knowledge, experience, and capabilities of Applied Biosystems and Deloitte Consulting, we believe that together we can improve efficiencies, accelerate research, and reduce the cost of projects for laboratories of all sizes."

"The progress of life science research relies on collaboration and information sharing," said Pete Mooney, Deloitte Consulting Principal in Deloitte's Life Science practice of Deloitte Consulting LLP. "In today's complex laboratory environments, a portfolio of informatics solutions that facilitates this approach is crucial. By combining Deloitte's system and process knowledge with Applied Biosystems' scientific expertise, our organizations can better serve the life science marketplace."

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 Deloitte

Deloitte refers to one or more firms of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, a Swiss Verein, its member firms, and their respective subsidiaries and affiliates. Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu is an organization of member firms around the world devoted to excellence in providing professional services and advice, focused on client service through a global strategy executed locally in nearly 150 countries. With access to the deep intellectual capital of 120,000 people worldwide, Deloitte delivers services in four professional areas -- audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services -- and serves more than one-half of the world's largest companies, as well as large national enterprises, public institutions, locally important clients, and successful, fast-growing global growth companies. Services are not provided by the Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Verein, and, for regulatory and other reasons, certain member firms do not provide services in all four professional areas.

Applied Biosystems Safe Harbor Language

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking. These may be identified by the use of forward-looking words or phrases such as "believe," "expect," and "planned," 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. These factors include but are not limited to: (1) rapidly changing technology could adversely affect demand for Applied Biosystems' products, and its business is dependent on development of new products; (2) Applied Biosystems' sales are dependent on customers' capital spending policies and government-sponsored research; (3) dependence on the operation of computer hardware, software, and Internet applications and related technology for its businesses, particularly those focused on the development and marketing of information-based products and services; and (4) other factors that might be described from time to time in Applera Corporation's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All information in this press release is as of the date of the release, and Applera does not undertake any duty to update this information, including any forward-looking statements, unless required by law.

Applied Biosystems and Celera are registered trademarks and Applera and Celera Diagnostics are trademarks of Applera Corporation or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and/or certain other countries. All other trademarks are the sole property of their respective owners.