Invitrogen Acquires Sequitur Inc.; Proprietary Stealth-TM- Technology Bolsters RNAi Platform.

Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

BIOWIRE2K

CARLSBAD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 4, 2003

Invitrogen Corp. (Nasdaq:IVGN) today announced that it has acquired Sequitur Inc., a privately held corporation based in Natick, Mass. with a leading technology for RNA interference (RNAi.). RNAi is used in life science research -- and may hold promise as a therapeutic -- as it offers a simple method to silence the expression of a gene involved in a biological pathway. Financial terms were not disclosed.

"Sequitur, Inc. adds to our growing RNAi platform," said Invitrogen Senior Vice President, R&D, Claude Benchimol. "The Stealth(TM) technology uses proprietary chemically-modified synthetic RNAi molecules that perform better than conventional short-interfering RNA (siRNA). When combined with Invitrogen's market-leading Lipofectamine(TM) reagents, researchers can create the most stable, synthetic RNAi and deliver it effectively into cells for research or therapeutics."

RNAi has rapidly become one of the most practiced techniques in drug discovery. Using short-interfering RNA, scientists can essentially turn a gene "off" to better understand its function and its role in disease. Sequitur, Inc.'s Stealth(TM) RNAi technology is a next-generation synthetic RNAi that is superior to traditional siRNA in several respects. First, Stealth(TM) RNAi has been shown to be more specific for the target gene of study, which is vital whether used for research or ultimately as a therapeutic. Also, Stealth(TM) RNAi is more stable in both cell culture and living organisms resulting in increased performance, efficiency and cost savings. Finally, Stealth(TM) RNAi has been proven less toxic to cells overall. Therefore, it avoids some of the complexities of traditional siRNA, such as the complete shutdown of cellular activity, making it a better potential therapeutic agent.

"The combination of our proprietary Stealth(TM) RNAi, seven years of experience in RNA targeting technology and Invitrogen's drug discovery solutions creates the most powerful, comprehensive RNAi platform available," explained Dr. Tod Woolf, founder and president of Sequitur Inc. "In addition, Invitrogen's worldwide sales, marketing and distribution channels will make this total solution increasingly available to researchers worldwide."

The acquisition also strengthens Invitrogen's services offering. Sequitur Inc. uses its Stealth(TM) RNAi to provide target discovery and validation services and has collaborative agreements with many of the top pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

"The acquisition of Sequitur Inc. is a part of our comprehensive strategy enabling Invitrogen to become the essential partner in drug discovery and disease research," said Invitrogen's President and CEO Gregory T. Lucier. "With its patent position, we believe Sequitur Inc.'s Stealth(TM) technology will prevail as the standard method for how researchers perform RNAi. By combining the best technologies, industry expertise and strong relationships, Invitrogen is creating a powerful RNAi platform that will enable research, accelerate discovery, and improve the human condition."

For more information on Invitrogen's complete RNAi systems, visit www.invitrogen.com/RNAi.

About Invitrogen

Invitrogen Corp. provides products and services that support academic and government research institutions and pharmaceutical and biotech companies worldwide in their efforts to improve the human condition. The company provides essential life science technologies for disease research, drug discovery, and commercial bio-production. Invitrogen's own research and development efforts are focused on breakthrough innovation in all major areas of biological discovery including functional genomics, proteomics, bio-informatics and cell biology -- placing Invitrogen's products in nearly every major laboratory in the world. Founded in 1987, Invitrogen has headquarters in Carlsbad and conducts business in more than 70 countries around the world. The company globally employs approximately 3,000 scientists and other professionals. For more information about Invitrogen visit the company's Web site at www.invitrogen.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain statements contained in this press release are considered "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and it is Invitrogen's intent that such statements be protected by the safe harbor created thereby. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to statements that: 1) RNAi may hold promise as a therapeutic; 2) The combination of Sequitur Inc.'s Stealth RNAi technology, experience and Invitrogen's drug discovery solutions creates the most powerful, comprehensive RNAi platform available; 3) Invitrogen's worldwide sales, marketing and distribution channels will make this total solution increasingly available to researchers worldwide; 4) The acquisition of Sequitur Inc. enables Invitrogen to offer a complete RNAi solution and strengthens its overall position in disease research and drug discovery; 5) Invitrogen will become the essential partner in drug discovery and disease research; 6) Sequitur Inc.'s technologies will prevail and become the standard method for how researchers perform RNAi; 7) Invitrogen's RNAi platform will enable research, accelerate discovery, and improve the human condition. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risks that: a) RNAi will be used solely as a research tool; b) competing technologies may create superior comprehensive RNAi platforms; c) Invitrogen's sales, marketing and distribution channels may not increase market penetration for Sequitur Inc.'s technologies; d) Sequitur Inc.'s technologies may not strengthen Invitrogen's position in disease research or drug discovery; e) Inivitrogen may not be successful in its effort to become the essential partner in drug discovery and disease research; f) another RNAi technology may be adopted widely in the industry or an industry standard may not develop; g) Invitrogen's RNAi platform may not produce results that enable research, accelerate discovery or improve the human condition, as well as other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in Invitrogen's Securities and Exchange Commission filings.