Zymark Provides HTS Screening Systems to Vertex Pharmaceuticals.

Business/Technology Editors & Health/Medical Writers

HOPKINTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 8, 2002

Zymark Corporation today announced that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has purchased and successfully installed two of Zymark's Allegro(TM) High Throughput Screening systems for its own internal drug discovery work in San Diego. These high performance-screening systems will be used in conjunction with Vertex's proprietary technologies in several key target areas.

The Allegro has been engineered to serve as a reliable, robust, open platform for the current generation of assays and to be compatible with future advances in microassay technology. Its modular, assembly-line architecture is designed for long-term equipment utilization. The Allegro system consists of a series of interlinked modular workstations and includes transfer stations, dispensers, storage carousels, incubators, plate washers, and plate readers. The system can be easily reconfigured to accommodate different assays, using easy-to-use, broadly available software applications.

"Vertex is one of the premier scientific centers for the discovery and development of advanced biological platforms for drug discovery. The decision by Vertex to use the Allegros further validates the value of this advanced automation technology," said Kevin Hrusovsky, Zymark President and CEO. "Our latest version of Allegro technology processes 96, 384 and 1536 plate formats. We are confident that Allegro's screening innovations will lead to the discovery of many new drug candidates."

More than 30 Allegro systems have been installed worldwide at leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, currently contributing to screening a total of two million plus assay points per month at these companies. These systems are capable of screening up to 400,000 assay points per day per system in 384 and 1536 plate formats, reducing cycle times of typical screening campaigns by several months. To date using Allegro systems more than 1 billion assay points have been screened, leading to a significant increase in numbers of successful drug leads.

Zymark Corporation, based in Hopkinton, MA, is one of the only manufacturers in the world concentrated exclusively on laboratory automation and robotic solutions for the rapidly expanding life sciences marketplace. Zymark serves the worldwide pharmaceutical and biotechnical industries, and hosts the annual ISLAR conference on laboratory automation. For more information about Zymark Corporation, visit www.zymark.com.