Varian, Inc. Debuts Innovative Scientific Instrument Accessories and Consumables for Life Science Applications.

Business Editors & Science/Biotechnology Writers

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 25, 2000

Complete Instrument Solutions Enhance DNA, Protein, Enzyme and

Membrane Studies in Pharmaceutical and Genomics Laboratories

Varian, Inc. (Nasdaq:VARI) unveiled several unique new accessories and consumable laboratory supplies that enhance and extend the utility of its scientific instruments in fast-growing life science applications. As complements to Varian, Inc.'s spectroscopy and chromatography systems, these products help create complete, application-specific instrument solutions for drug discovery, genomics, proteomics, and other life science studies.

"Innovative accessories and consumables are critical elements of our growth strategy and are proving particularly important for keeping pace with the burgeoning demand for biotechnology solutions," said Allen J. Lauer, Varian, Inc. president and CEO. "An excellent case in point is the Cary(R) Eclipse(TM) fluorescence spectrophotometer which, since its introduction last fall, has made tremendous in-roads in life science laboratories. When outfitted with the 384-well microplate reader accessory, the spectrophotometer is ideal for combinatorial analyses so critical to drug discovery applications."

New accessory and consumable offerings:

Accessory for Fluorescence Instrument -- The Peltier thermostatted four-position multi-cell holder is a new accessory for conducting drug discovery, pharmaceutical and other life science experiments, such as cell membrane analysis and signal transduction studies, with the Cary fluorescence spectrophotometer. Believed to be the only such multi-cell holder device for fluorescence spectroscopy, this unique accessory features electromagnetic stirring and electronic heat pumps, known as peltiers. It is the peltiers that control temperature accurately and precisely, improving a broad range of studies as well as opening up new doors to applications that have been limited in the past.

When equipped with the Peltier multi-cell holder, the Cary fluorescence spectrophotometer is ideal for life scientists conducting thermal denaturation and renaturation studies of DNA via fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and biochemists investigating the dynamics of proteins in solution via fluorescence polarization. The Cary fluorescence solution is also suited for those conducting steady state kinetics measurements, such as determining reaction rates in protein binding assays, which require accurate and precise temperature control with high stability when monitoring reactions.

Helix DNA Column -- The new ProStar Helix(TM) HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatograph) column enables ultra-fast separations of DNA fragments by size and is effective in detecting previously unknown variations in DNA and screening populations for a given mutation or polymorphism. The Helix column offers professionals in biotechnology, large pharmaceutical companies, medical centers and universities a lower-cost alternative to gel electrophoresis that is ideal for denaturing HPLC and the analysis and purification of PCR (polymerase chain reaction) products and restrictions digests. The new column also delivers longer life and improved signal-to-noise ratio at a lower price.

Disposable Columns for Flash Chromatography -- New pre-packed disposable columns for Flash Chromatography are designed to speed up the drug discovery process. The modern pharmaceutical discovery process involves the synthesis of greater numbers of purified candidates than ever before. Parallel, combinatorial, and other high-throughput synthesis techniques require high-throughput purification procedures, like Flash Chromatography, before compounds can be screened for therapeutic efficacy. Varian, Inc.'s new range of pre-packed columns for Flash Chromatography saves time and money because laboratories can purchase pre-packed, disposable (polypropylene) cartridges as opposed to packing their own glass columns. In addition, the cartridges are compatible with automation systems for parallel, high-throughput operation.

Today's accessory and consumable introductions follow the recently introduced OmniSpher(TM) 5 C18 Universal Column, a new generation, truly universal RPLC (reversed phase liquid chromatography) column for analysis of neutral, polar, acidic, and basic compounds, and the Versaplate(TM), a revolutionary 96-well plate system that offers quick, inexpensive customization of 96-well solid phase extraction (SPE). Both the OmniSpher 5 C18 Universal Column and the Versaplate are used in the pharmaceutical and life sciences markets.

Varian, Inc. is a world leader in scientific instruments and vacuum technologies, serving life science, health care, chemical, environmental, and industrial customers. It is a major supplier of NMR systems, analytical instrument solutions, vacuum products and services, and specialized contract electronics manufacturing. The company manufactures in 11 locations in North America, Europe and the Pacific Rim and employs some 4,000 people. Varian, Inc. had 1999 sales of $599 million. Additional information about Varian, Inc. is available at www.varianinc.com.