Biacore's New Advanced System Set to Dramatically Reduce Drug Discovery and Development Bottlenecks; Biacore Launches New High Performance Analytical System.

Business Editors & Medical Writers

UPPSALA, Sweden--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 6, 2001

Biacore International AB (Biacore) (Nasdaq:BCOR)(SSE:BCOR) today announced the launch of its Biacore(R) S51 system for lead characterization and preclinical applications in drug discovery. This is the first system to be developed from Biacore's new Series S technology platform and is designed to address major analytical problems facing the pharmaceutical industry. Specifically, the system is expected to reduce critical bottlenecks in drug discovery at stages downstream of high-throughput screening (HTS), by providing more biological information on compound activity in a single assay than any technology available today.

As the pharmaceutical industry comes under increasing pressure to develop drugs faster and more efficiently, one of the crucial rate- limiting steps is the conversion of HTS 'hits' into lead compounds for preclinical evaluation. Biacore S51 is specifically designed to rapidly and efficiently address key steps in the 'hit'-to-lead selection process, by combining the advantage of Biacore's non-label Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) technology with advanced instrumentation and software for higher throughput, enhanced data quality and reduced sample usage.

The high quality, quantitative data produced offers unparalleled insight into the binding kinetics, affinity, concentration and specificity of the interaction between a compound and target molecule. Specifically, Biacore S51 provides data-rich analysis in four pivotal stages of the drug discovery and development process:

-- Rapid confirmation of HTS 'hits'

-- Comprehensive kinetic characterization of potential lead compounds

-- Rapid in vitro early ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism and
excretion) analysis to maximize lead selection criteria and define likely in
vivo behavior

-- Detailed kinetics based QSAR (quantitative structure activity relationship)
to drive lead optimization

Biacore's SPR technology is unique in providing real-time kinetic data from assay formats that require no tags or labeling of compounds, enabling interactions to be studied in near-native states. This offers an unrivalled view of true functionality. Developed in collaboration with companies including Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc, SmithKline Beecham and Pharmacia Corp, Biacore S51 represents the most advanced commercially available SPR-based instrument.

Launched in conjunction with Biacore S51 is a new customer support and assay development program called TecEdge. This unique package provides unparalleled access to Biacore's worldwide team of application and research scientists providing the highest levels of support to users. Application scientists from Biacore are available to work directly with customers in their laboratories to help and guide in the development and design of assay methodology, again with the aim of accelerating the secondary screening applications process.

"Biacore S51 represents a major advance in analytical instrumentation for drug discovery and development in terms of both the quality and quantity of information obtained from a single assay," said Julian Abery, VP and Head of the Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Business Unit at Biacore. "Biacore is dedicated to providing new and enabling technologies to the drug discovery and development market, and we believe Biacore S51 will be well received. We continue to develop advanced instrumentation to remove bottlenecks at critical stages of lead candidate compound verification. At the same time, we believe our new TecEdge program will facilitate a unique relationship between Biacore and drug development research scientists focused on providing detailed information and identifying new opportunities."

Forward Looking Statement

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which, by their nature, involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future. There are a number of factors that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.

About Biacore

Biacore is a global market leader in Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) based technology with its own sales operations in the U.S., across Europe, in Japan, Australia and New Zealand. The technology is protected by a strong patent portfolio. Target groups consist primarily of medical and life science research laboratories and pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies all over the world. Biacore focuses on drug discovery as the prime area for future growth. The company currently has six systems on the market with its BIACORE(R)3000 system offering specific application in drug discovery processes upstream of high-throughput screening (HTS). .

Based in Uppsala, Sweden, the company is listed on Stockholmsborsen and Nasdaq in the U.S. In 2000 the company had sales of SEK 438.8 million and an operating income of SEK 78.0 million.

Further information on Biacore can be found on the web: www.biacore.com. Address and phone: Biacore International AB Rapsgatan 7, SE-754 50 Uppsala, SWEDEN; Phone: [phone] Fax: [phone]; Email: [e-mail]