Baker Medical Research Institute to establish core proteomics laboratory using Amersham Biosciences' technologies.

Business Editors & Health/Medical Writers

BIOWIRE2K

PISCATAWAY, N.J.--(BW HealthWire)--Jan. 7, 2002

Scientists at leading Australian research institute to

identify and characterize proteins responsible for

cardiovascular disease, and in collaborative studies

proteins involved in HIV/AIDS and cancer

Amersham Biosciences today announced that it has signed an agreement with the Baker Medical Research Institute to provide scientists with access to the company's range of Ettan(TM) branded integrated proteomics systems.

The proteomics partnership between the Baker Medical Research Institute and Amersham Biosciences is the first of its kind for an Australian academic research institution.

The instrumentation, chemistry and software tools provided will facilitate proteomics research on an industrial scale. These systems will allow scientists at Australia's premier cardiovascular research facility (Baker Medical Research Institute), as well as other collaborating institutions, to identify and characterize the proteins responsible for both cardiovascular disease as well as disease conditions associated with HIV/AIDS, autoimmunity and cancer.

Researchers will gain access to systems for protein separation (2D electrophoresis), for isolation of proteins of interest (spot picker, digester and spotter) and for protein analysis and identification (mass spectrometry) with a high degree of automation.

"Amersham Biosciences' technologies will be a vital component in establishing our core laboratory in proteomics research," said Dr. Ian Smith, Baker Institute, who will oversee the commissioning and of the proteomics facility and who will also coordinate the Amersham Biosciences/Baker Medical Research Institute alliance. "This core laboratory will significantly enhance the discovery process."

"We are proud to be the company chosen to equip one of Australia's top research and commercialization centers with advanced proteomics technologies," said Lars-Eric Utterman, Vice President of Proteomics for Amersham Biosciences. "Our advanced systems will allow the state's scientists to be at the forefront of the proteomics revolution."

"Our proteomics technologies are designed for drug discovery. Researchers today need high throughput, high performance systems that are easy to use," said Jim Brown, President, International Region, Amersham Biosciences. "Our local team in Australia will be working closely with the scientists at the Baker to establish the core facility and to help them work with our technology to identify disease related proteins."

"Partnerships with industry and academic research have been one of the keys to the success of the investments the Baker Institute and its collaborating academic and industry partners have made, turning academic research into community and economic benefit," said Professor Garry Jennings, Director of the Baker Medical Research Institute. "This partnership with Amersham Biosciences is a landmark opportunity for our research universities to work side-by-side with industry as we use proteomics to research and develop cures and diagnostics for human disease."

With the first phase of a nationally significant development presently known as the Alfred Medical Research and Education Precinct (AMREP) to be completed in early 2002, this $90 million complex will house the Baker Medical Research Institute, the Macfarlane Burnet Centre, the Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Alfred Hospital research laboratories as well as major departments of the Monash University Faculty of Medicine. The Precinct thus represents an impressive partnership between a major tertiary referral hospital and successful medical research institutes, as well as Monash University. The facility will have state of the art laboratories, a first class experimental animal center, purpose-built library and, of particular importance, close and direct access to the patients and facilities of The Alfred Hospital. Thus, the center for proteomics at the Baker Medical Research Institute will serve the Baker and other AMREP members, as well as the broader Australian scientific community.

Amersham Biosciences, the life sciences business of Amersham plc (LSE, NYSE, OSE: AHM), is a world leader in developing and providing integrated systems and solutions for disease research, drug development and manufacture. Our systems are used to uncover the function of genes and proteins, for the discovery and development of drugs and for the manufacture of biopharmaceuticals. The customers for Amersham Biosciences' products and technology are pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and research and academic institutions, principally in North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia.