BioReliance Corporation.

BioReliance Corporation (NASDAQ:BREL), Rockville, Md., has completed its previously announced acquisition of Q-One Biotech Group Ltd., a Glasgow, Scotland-based provider of biopharmaceutical testing and manufacturing services. BioReliance paid the purchase price of approximately 42 million pounds sterling in cash, subject to post-closing adjustments and excluding transaction costs, using approximately $48.2 million of funds borrowed under its senior credit facilities and approximately $19.7 million of existing cash resources.

Capers McDonald, president and CEO of BioReliance, said, "We are excited by the opportunity this acquisition and subsequent integration provide for us. We expect to continue the high levels of quality, science and customer service for which both our companies have been known. Q-One has been an outstanding service provider and will fit well with BioReliance's already growing U.S. and U.K. operations."

Ray Cosgrove, Ph.D., vice president, European Testing and Development, added, "Over the next few months, we believe that the combination of BioReliance and Q-One will create an expanded, more vital global service company by increasing our range of services, expanding our capacities for scheduling clients' work, and enhancing our multi-site backup capabilities for many services."

Capers McDonald concluded, "The combined international company will operate under the 'BioReliance' name worldwide -- in Glasgow and Stirling in the U.K., in Worcester and Rockville in the U.S., and in Heidelberg in Germany. As we expand our resources and know-how to serve the needs of clients worldwide, we look forward to continuing to work with our many valued customers. For our employees, opportunities for continued personal growth and professional development will remain as key parts of our corporate service strategy."

About BioReliance

BioReliance Corporation is a leading contract service organization providing testing, development and manufacturing services for biologics and other biomedical products to biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies worldwide. The company believes that it is the largest provider of outsourcing services focused on the expanding biologics sector of the pharmaceutical industry.

About Q-One Biotech

Q-One Biotech provides specialist safety testing and process validation services and contract manufacturing to the biopharmaceutical industry. Their services have included fully accredited safety testing of biopharmaceuticals, human blood products, vaccines, transgenics and gene therapy products. Q-One Biotech had devised over 500 study protocols to test cell lines, biological material and final products to fulfill regulatory requirements. They also performed process validation studies for removal/inactivation of viral, DNA, mycoplasma and scrapie/BSE contaminants. Q-One Biotech's primary facilities have been located in Glasgow, Scotland, UK and Worcester, MA, USA and have operated to very high standards of service, including quality systems, study protocols and technical and regulatory support.

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