Applied Biosystems and Vanderbilt University Form Collaboration to Research Advances in Proteomics and Small Molecule Analysis Using New Tissue Imaging and Profiling Application.

Business Editors/Health & Medical Writers

FOSTER CITY, Calif. & NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BW HealthWire)--Feb. 12, 2002

Applied Biosystems (NYSE:ABI), an Applera Corporation business, and Vanderbilt University today announced an agreement to collaborate on technologies and applications for proteomics and small molecule analysis using a new direct molecular imaging technique and approach for the analysis of tissue. Richard M. Caprioli, Ph.D., is the inventor of the tissue imaging procedure and will lead the research effort on behalf of Vanderbilt University. Dr. Caprioli is a Professor and a Stanley Cohen Chair of Biochemistry, and Director of the Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Research Center of the Vanderbilt School of Medicine. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

By pinpointing the location of the cells producing different levels of specific proteins, researchers are able to identify differences in normal and diseased tissues that could lead to a better understanding of the onset and treatment of disease. The technique combines MALDI (matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization) mass spectrometry for protein identification with visual tissue and cellular imaging to determine the location of specific proteins in different tissue sections of diseased and normal organs, including tumor sections. The technique can also assist in tracking the location of drugs and their metabolites in the treatment of various disorders, including cancer, thus potentially providing a powerful new research tool.

The collaboration is intended to combine Applied Biosystems' expertise in mass spectrometry with Dr. Caprioli's inventions in mass spectrometry and tissue imaging technology to improve existing products, and to develop future Applied Biosystems' products and applications in mass spectrometry, protein chemistry and bioinformatics. These new products and applications could be used to analyze the distribution, identification and characterization of biomolecules and drugs in specific tissues, cells and organs.

"We believe that this collaboration may lead to new and more productive proteomics workflows to better integrate protein analysis with other established and relevant methodologies in biomedical research for understanding complex biological phenomena," said Stephen A. Martin, Ph.D., Director of the Proteomics Research Center at Applied Biosystems. "We are pleased to be collaborating with Dr. Caprioli and his research team at Vanderbilt University towards achieving this goal."

"Imagine the possibilities if we can develop an approach that allows us to examine cellular activity in precise regions of tissues and even look at molecular activity in discrete parts of the cell. Knowing the difference in molecular expression of healthy versus diseased tissue could contribute significantly to our understanding of disease processes, and could give us important keys to the intricate signaling that is involved in a cell," said Dr. Caprioli. "The partnership with Applied Biosystems, the industry leader in research enabling technology, is expected to accelerate this exciting new approach to discovery."

About Applera Corporation and Applied Biosystems

Applera Corporation comprises two operating groups. The Applied Biosystems Group 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, headquartered in Rockville, MD, is engaged principally in integrating advanced technologies to create therapeutic discovery and development capabilities for internal use and for its customers and collaborators. Celera's businesses are its online information business and its therapeutics discovery business. The online information business is a leading provider of information based on the human genome and other biological and medical information. Through the therapeutic discovery business, Celera intends to leverage its genomic and proteomic capabilities to identify drug targets and diagnostic marker candidates, and to discover novel therapeutic candidates. 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 www.applera.com, or by telephoning 800/762-6923. Information about Applied Biosystems is available on the World Wide Web at www.appliedbiosystems.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," and "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. These factors include but are not limited to (1) rapidly changing technology and dependence on development of new products; (2) claims for patent infringement; (3) and other factors that might be described from time to time in Applera Corporation's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Note to Editors: Applied Biosystems is a registered trademark and Applera, Celera, Celera Diagnostics and Celera Genomics are trademarks of Applera Corporation or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and certain other countries.