Celera Genomics Announces That Abbott Has Selected Two Additional Cancer Targets for Further Development; Five Celera Genomics Antigens Now in Research Pipeline with Partners.

ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Celera Genomics Group (NYSE:CRA), an Applera Corporation business, today announced that Abbott (NYSE:ABT) has selected two Celera antigen targets for further investigation and potential therapeutic development. These are in addition to the two targets Abbott selected for advancement in April 2005. Abbott now has a total of four targets under investigation from the strategic collaboration established between Celera Genomics and Abbott to discover, develop and commercialize therapies for the treatment of cancer.

"Our collaboration with Abbott continues to be productive and we're pleased with their selection of these two additional antigens for further investigation," said Kathy Ordonez, President of Celera Genomics. "This is further validation of the value our proteomics platform has yielded in discovering and validating targets in pancreatic, lung, colon, breast, gastric, prostate and renal cancers. We now have five antigens in the research pipeline with our partners, and we are working to move additional targets forward for therapeutic development through current and future collaborations."

Under the terms of the collaboration agreement, a number of protein antigens identified and validated by Celera Genomics are being screened by Abbott. The collaboration encompasses the development of therapeutic antibodies and small molecule drugs against over-expressed cell-surface proteins that have been associated with cancer and identified as therapeutic targets through proteomics research at Celera Genomics. Any of these antigens may be selected for therapeutic development at Abbott. Once this development is complete, Celera Genomics may elect to jointly fund clinical development and commercialization of any resulting therapeutic products and would share any financial returns resulting from commercialization, or alternately be paid milestones and royalties on successful therapies. Abbott has responsibility for the commercialization of jointly funded collaboration products. Celera Genomics retains certain diagnostic rights associated with selected targets.

About Celera Genomics and Applera Corporation

Applera Corporation consists of two operating groups. The Celera Genomics Group is focused on discovery, development, and commercialization of diagnostic products as well as leveraging its proteomic, bioinformatic, and genomic capabilities to identify and validate drug targets and pharmacogenomic markers. It seeks to advance its therapeutic discoveries through partnerships with technology and market leaders. The Applied Biosystems Group serves the life science industry and research community by developing and marketing instrument-based systems, consumables, software, and services. Customers use these tools to analyze nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), small molecules, and proteins to make scientific discoveries and develop new pharmaceuticals. Applied Biosystems' products also serve the needs of some markets outside of life science research, which we refer to as "applied markets," such as the fields of: human identity testing (forensic and paternity testing); biosecurity, which refers to products needed in response to the threat of biological terrorism and other malicious, accidental, and natural biological dangers; and quality and safety testing, for example in food and the environment. Applied Biosystems is headquartered in Foster City, CA, and reported sales of nearly $1.8 billion during fiscal 2005. Information about Applera Corporation, including reports and other information filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, is available at http://www.applera.com, or by telephoning 800.762.6923. Information about Celera Genomics is available at http://www.celera.com.

Forward-Looking Statements 

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking. These may be identified by the use of forward-looking words or phrases such as "believe," "expect," "intend," "should," and "planned," 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 risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to: (1) Celera Genomics' unproven ability to discover, develop, or commercialize proprietary therapeutic or diagnostic products; and (2) other factors that might be described from time to time in Applera Corporation's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All information in this press release is as of the date of the release, and Applera does not undertake any duty to update this information, including any forward-looking statements, unless required by law.