Applied Biosystems and Spotfire Collaborate to Enhance Protein Expression Data Analysis; Collaboration to Provide Improved Technologies and Workflows for Protemic Analysis.

Business/Technology Editors

Applied Biosystems Group, an Applera Corporation business, today announced the signing of a collaborative agreement with Spotfire(R), Inc., a leading provider of analytic software and services. The goal of the collaboration is to integrate Applied Biosystems/MDS Sciex Pro ICAT software with Spotfire's DecisionSite for Functional Genomics(TM) software. Developed through the Applied Biosystems/MDS Sciex joint venture, the integrated product is expected to represent a uniquely configured analytic application, designed to analyze protein expression data from ICAT(TM) reagent-based experiments.

The collaboration is expected to provide researchers with improved and customized technologies and workflows for protein expression analysis using ICAT reagents, including the Vision(TM) Workstation for preparative MDLC [multidimensional liquid chromatography], the API QSTAR(R) Pulsar Hybrid LC/MS/MS system, and ICAT reagent kits. The goal is to bring the power of mature gene expression analysis tools into the burgeoning field of proteomics.

"We are pleased to be working with Applied Biosystems, a leader in automated instruments for life science," said Christopher Ahlberg, Spotfire's CEO. "As a result of this collaborative effort, researchers using Pro ICAT software for the API QSTAR Pulsar Hybrid LC/MS/MS system and Spotfire's DecisionSite for Functional Genomics software should have a unified interface for accessing and analyzing protein expression data."

Released in February, Pro ICAT software enables automatic identification and quantitation of proteins in complex biological samples when used to analyze tandem MS data from ICAT reagent-based proteomics experiments. Pro ICAT software includes leading-edge features that improve the quantitation of proteins from LC/MS/MS data.

"Spotfire's DecisionSite for Functional Genomics(TM) software is intended to give researchers unprecedented ability to analyze and visualize protein expression data generated from ICAT reagent-based liquid chromatography mass spectrometry experiments," said Laura Lauman, Applied Biosystems vice president for discovery proteomics and small molecule business. "It should also permit interactive analysis, which accelerates proteomics research and its association with human disease."

About ICAT(TM) Reagent Technology

The isotope-coded affinity tag method was developed by Dr. Ruedi Aebersold of the Institute for Systems Biology and Dr. Michael Gelb of the University of Washington while Dr. Aebersold served on the faculty of the University. Applied Biosystems obtained an exclusive license for the ICAT(TM) reagent technology from the University of Washington.

About Applera Corporation and Applied Biosystems

Applera Corporation comprises two operating groups. The Applied Biosystems Group (NYSE: ABI) develops and markets instrument-based systems, reagents, software, and contract services to the life science industry and research community. Customers use these tools to analyze nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), small molecules, and proteins to make scientific discoveries leading to the development of new pharmaceuticals, and to conduct standardized testing. Applied Biosystems is headquartered in Foster City, CA, and reported sales of $1.6 billion during fiscal 2001. The Celera Genomics Group (NYSE: CRA), located in Rockville, MD and South San Francisco, CA, is engaged principally in integrating advanced technologies to discover and develop new therapeutics. Celera intends to leverage its genomics and proteomics technology platforms to identify drug targets and diagnostic marker candidates, and to discover novel therapeutic candidates. Its Celera Discovery System(TM) online platform is an integrated source of information based on the human genome and other biological and medical sources. Celera Diagnostics, a joint venture between Applied Biosystems and Celera Genomics, is focused on discovery, development, and commercialization of novel diagnostics tests. Information about Applera Corporation, including reports and other information filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.applera.com/, or by telephoning 800.762.6923. Information about Applied Biosystems is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.appliedbiosystems.com/.

About Spotfire(R), Inc.

Spotfire(R), Inc. provides analytic applications and services that empower end-users and their enterprises to make faster, better decisions. More than 400 global 2000 customers and over 16,000 users work with Spotfire products worldwide. The company maintains U.S. headquarters in Somerville, MA, and European headquarters in Goteborg, Sweden. Additional information can be found at www.spotfire.com.

About MDS Sciex and MDS, Inc.

MDS Sciex is the analytical instrumentation division of MDS, Inc. (NYSE: MDZ; TSX: MDS), an international health and life sciences company with revenues of $1.6B (Canadian) in 2001. Its products and services include: laboratory testing, imaging agents for nuclear medicine testing, sterilization systems for medical and consumer products, research and clinical development services for planning and delivery of cancer treatment, analytical instruments to assist in the development of new drugs, and medical/surgical supplies. MDS employs more than 10,000 highly skilled people at its global operations on four continents. Detailed information about the company is available at the MDS Web site at http://www.mdsintl.com/.

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking. These may be identified by the use of forward-looking words or phrases such as "expect," "potential," "could," and "believe" 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 and dependence on development of new products; (2) sales dependent on customers' capital spending policies and government-sponsored research; (3) claims for patent infringement; (4) and other factors that might be described from time to time in Applera Corporation's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

(c)2002, Applied Biosystems. All rights reserved.

Applied Biosystems and QSTAR are registered trademarks, and AB (Design), Applera, Celera, Celera Diagnostics, Celera Discovery System, Celera Genomics, and Vision are trademarks of Applera Corporation or its subsidiaries in the US and certain other countries.

Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX is a joint venture between Applied Biosystems and Sciex, the instrumentation technology division of MDS, Inc. Applied Biosystems/MDS Sciex has the largest installed base of dedicated LC/MS and LC/MS/MS systems in the world.

ICAT is a trademark of the University of Washington.

MDS and Sciex are trademarks of MDS, Inc.

DecisionSite for Functional Genomics is a trademark and Spotfire is a registered trademark of Spotfire, Inc.

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures