Applied Biosystems Launches Global Infectious Disease Surveillance Initiative; Avian Influenza First Priority

Applied Biosystems (NYSE:ABI), an Applera Corporation business,today announced a comprehensive offering for responding to the avianinfluenza threat, that includes standardized influenza detection kitsfor surveillance, the availability of ongoing sequencing informationof the influenza virus, and provision of access to a global influenzagenome database. The purpose of these kits is to assist public healthofficials and researchers in evaluating and monitoring outbreaks ofavian influenza. This offering is part of a broader Applied Biosystemsinternational initiative to ensure that detection kits and up-to-dategenomic data are available for priority epidemiology studies relatedto infectious disease threats.

As outlined in the U.S. government's National Strategy forPandemic Influenza issued on November 1, 2005, surveillance anddetection are a critical component in providing continuous situationalawareness to ensure maximum protection for the public. The creation ofa worldwide surveillance system capable of rapidly and reliablytracking the mutation and presence of influenza strains is a necessaryfirst step in the fight against outbreaks.

Applied Biosystems outlined the following key components of itsglobal infectious disease surveillance initiative: -- Standardized Surveillance and Detection Infrastructure
-- Detailed Genetic Analysis

-- Real-Time Surveillance and Validated Influenza Detection
Kits -- Global Influenza Information Availability -- Applied Biosystems Infectious Disease Surveillance System

"The U.S. government and public health organizations, such as theWorld Health Organization, have made clear that the world must developa robust global infectious disease surveillance infrastructure toprevent pandemics from emerging," said Mark P. Stevenson, DivisionPresident of Applied Markets for Applied Biosystems.

"Recognizing the importance of public and private partnerships tofulfill this mission, Applied Biosystems is marshalling its expertisein science, engineering, and manufacturing to meet this need,beginning with the launch of specific solutions to address the avianinfluenza threat," added Christopher P. Melancon, Director ofBioSecurity, Applied Markets Division of Applied Biosystems.

Avian Influenza Program Details

Applied Biosystems, along with key partners in the public healthcommunity, is rolling out a comprehensive surveillance response to theavian influenza threat to help public health agencies identify H5N1outbreaks as well as track the ongoing genetic changes of virulentinfluenza strains. This response includes the following components:

Standardized Surveillance and Detection Infrastructure

-- Detailed Genetic Analysis

Sequencing is an important technology for understanding geneticchanges in the influenza virus. Epidemiologists can use geneticsequence information to track the evolution of the virus and thespread of the disease throughout animal and human populations.

Applied Biosystems has solicited guidance from the World HealthOrganization (WHO) headquarters and Collaborating Centres forInfluenza to provide standardized genome sequencing protocols andtechnology to key public health laboratories around the world. Basedon this guidance, Applied Biosystems is designing sequencing protocolsand kits for distribution by March 2006, through the WHO CollaboratingCentres for Influenza in Melbourne, Australia. Based on AppliedBiosystems' industry-leading sequencing technology, viral genomesequencing systems are capable of sequencing and analyzing the entireinfluenza genome, including the dangerous H5N1 subtype. Over 12,000 ofApplied Biosystems' genetic analyzers, such as the 3130 GeneticAnalyzer product line and 3730 DNA Analyzer product line, areinstalled in more than 4,500 global locations.

-- Real-Time Surveillance and Validated Influenza Detection Kits

Genetic-based detection, based on real-time PCR technology,represents the state-of-the art in surveillance technology todetermine whether the virus is present in laboratory samples.

Applied Biosystems has a global installed base of real-time PCRsystems, including over 100 systems currently utilized by the U.S.national public health network, which could be called upon tocontribute towards the U.S. government's national preparedness foravian influenza.

Applied Biosystems has developed a TaqMan(R) Influenza A/H5Detection Kit to detect the presence of the H5 subtype, includingH5N1, in human and animal samples in less than two hours. The kit,which is designed to run using standardized protocols on AppliedBiosystems real-time PCR systems, is currently being tested andoptimized for maximum sensitivity against viral samples of the H5N1subtype in Hong Kong.

"The tendency of influenza viruses to undergo frequent geneticadaptation necessitates constant monitoring," said Dr. Leo L.M. Poon,Associate Professor of the Department of Microbiology at theUniversity of Hong Kong. "By testing these avian flu virus detectionkits with a broad range of historical and recently isolated samples,we can gain confidence that they will reliably detect and identifythis rapidly changing virus."

"Genetic-based detection is one of the most reliable approachesfor detecting the presence of harmful pathogens, including thedangerous Influenza H5N1 subtype," said Ian Barr, Ph.D., DeputyDirector, World Health Organization Influenza Collaborating Centre,Melbourne, Australia. "We are pleased with the initiative that AppliedBiosystems has demonstrated in supporting the global influenzascientific community to address this critical public healthrequirement and look forward to the roll-out of these new assays."

Further confirmation testing of the detection kits will beconducted at reference laboratory sites around the globe, includingsites in Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Kenya, Thailand, Japan, andAustralia. Applied Biosystems expects to ship these kits to selectlaboratories before the end of 2005, with broad availability in early2006. To ensure availability of the kits in the event of an outbreak,Applied Biosystems intends to stockpile materials in the UnitedStates, United Kingdom, and Japan to enable a more rapid response tokit production and distribution.

Global Influenza Information Availability

Applied Biosystems intends to purchase non-exclusive licenses(subscriptions) for the analysis software associated with the LosAlamos National Laboratory (LANL) Influenza Sequence Database(http://www.flu.lanl.gov/). These licenses will give foreigngovernments and/or public health laboratories located in high riskareas of the world access to the analysis software. To ensure thatthere is maximal sharing of scientific information about influenzaviruses between governments, scientific entities, and the privatesector, laboratories using Applied Biosystems' standardized sequencingplatform will be encouraged to submit influenza genome sequenceinformation to the LANL database, GenBank(R), the National Institutesof Health (NIH) sequence database, or other publicly accessibledatabases.

"Los Alamos National Laboratory is keenly interested in partneringwith Applied Biosystems and other partners to ensure that ourscientific expertise and analysis tools are available in the globalefforts to combat pandemic pathogen outbreaks," said Allen Morris,Ph.D., Licensing Executive at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Applied Biosystems Infectious Disease Surveillance System

Moving beyond the specific response to the avian influenza threat,Applied Biosystems has developed a standardized system forsurveillance and detection of a broad range of infectious diseases forepidemiological use. The system includes:

-- ABI PRISM(R) 6100 Nucleic Acid PrepStation: Instrument module for collecting and preparing human and animal samples for testing on the real-time PCR system.

-- Applied Biosystems 7900HT Real-Time PCR System with TaqMan(R) Low Density Array Capability: High throughput system for identifying and characterizing specific pathogens.

-- Standardized Protocols: Pathogen-specific protocols to ensure that tests are reproducible and render reliable results.

Applied Biosystems Global Infectious Disease SurveillanceInitiative

Through its global installed base of life sciences researchsystems, Applied Biosystems has been contributing toward public healthpreparedness and life science knowledge for nearly 25 years. The goalof Applied Biosystems' Global Infectious Disease SurveillanceInitiative is to enable a comprehensive biosecurity infrastructure tohelp protect the public from emerging man-made and natural infectiousdisease threats, including avian influenza, anthrax, tularemia,plague, and other priority pathogens. By combining scientificexpertise, genetic analysis systems and surveillance kit developmentwith global distribution channels, Applied Biosystems intends todeliver standardized and reliable biosecurity solutions for infectiousdisease surveillance.

For Research Use Only. Not for Use in Diagnostic Procedures.

Applied Biosystems' influenza detection products are for researchand epidemiological use only. They have not been cleared or approvedby the United States Food and Drug Administration or any otherregulatory agency, or under the European IVD Directive, for humandiagnostic or other clinical use, and are not intended and should notbe used for human diagnostic or any other clinical purposes.

About Applera Corporation and Applied Biosystems

Applera Corporation consists of two operating groups. The AppliedBiosystems Group serves the life science industry and researchcommunity by developing and marketing instrument-based systems,consumables, software, and services. Customers use these tools toanalyze nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), small molecules, and proteins tomake scientific discoveries and develop new pharmaceuticals. AppliedBiosystems' products also serve the needs of some markets outside oflife science research, which we refer to as "applied markets," such asthe fields of: human identity testing (forensic and paternitytesting); biosecurity, which refers to products needed in response tothe threat of biological terrorism and other malicious, accidental,and natural biological dangers; and quality and safety testing, forexample in food and the environment. Applied Biosystems isheadquartered in Foster City, CA, and reported sales of nearly $1.8billion during fiscal 2005. The Celera Genomics Group (NYSE:CRA) isengaged principally in the discovery and development of targetedtherapeutics for cancer, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. CeleraGenomics is leveraging its proteomic, bioinformatic, and genomiccapabilities to identify and validate drug targets, and to discoverand develop small molecule therapeutics. It is also seeking to advancetherapeutic antibody and selected small molecule drug programs incollaboration with global technology and market leaders. CeleraDiagnostics, a 50/50 joint venture between Applied Biosystems andCelera Genomics, is focused on discovery, development, andcommercialization of diagnostic products. Information about AppleraCorporation, including reports and other information filed by thecompany with the Securities and Exchange Commission, is available athttp://www.applera.com, or by telephoning 800-762-6923. Informationabout Applied Biosystems is available athttp://www.appliedbiosystems.com/.

Applied Biosystems Forward Looking Statement

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking.These may be identified by the use of forward-looking words or phrasessuch as "intends," "expects," "plans," and "should" among others.These forward-looking statements are based on Applera Corporation'scurrent expectations. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of1995 provides a "safe harbor" for such forward-looking statements. Inorder to comply with the terms of the safe harbor, Applera Corporationnotes that a variety of factors could cause actual results andexperience to differ materially from the anticipated results or otherexpectations expressed in such forward-looking statements. Thesefactors include but are not limited to (1) rapidly changing technologycould adversely affect demand for Applied Biosystems' products, andits business is dependent on development and customer acceptance ofnew products; (2) Applied Biosystems' sales are dependent oncustomers' capital spending policies and government-sponsoredresearch; (3) potential liabilities related to the use of hazardousmaterials, (4) risks associated with lawsuits, arbitrations,investigations, and other legal actions with private parties andgovernmental entities, particularly involving claims for infringementof patents and other intellectual property rights, and the possibilitythat Applied Biosystems may need to license intellectual property fromthird parties to avoid or settle such claims; (5) Applied Biosystems'dependence on the operation of computer hardware, software, andInternet applications and related technology; (6) unproven use ofgenomics information to develop or commercialize products; and (7)other factors that might be described from time to time in AppleraCorporation's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Allinformation 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.

Copyright(C) 2005. Applera Corporation. All rights reserved. ABIPRISM, Applied Biosystems and Celera are registered trademarks,Applera, Celera Diagnostics, Celera Discovery System, and CeleraGenomics are trademarks of Applera Corporation or its subsidiaries inthe U.S. and/or certain other countries.

TaqMan is a registered trademark of Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.