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

FOSTER CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 9, 2005--
Coordinated Avian Influenza Response First Step in Containing and
Responding to Potential Infectious Disease Outbreaks





Applied Biosystems (NYSE:ABI), an Applera Corporation business, today
announced a comprehensive offering for responding to the avian
influenza threat, that includes standardized influenza detection kits
for surveillance, the availability of ongoing sequencing information
of the influenza virus, and provision of access to a global influenza
genome database. The purpose of these kits is to assist public health
officials and researchers in evaluating and monitoring outbreaks of
avian influenza. This offering is part of a broader Applied Biosystems
international initiative to ensure that detection kits and up-to-date
genomic data are available for priority epidemiology studies related
to infectious disease threats.

As outlined in the U.S. government's National Strategy for Pandemic
Influenza issued on November 1, 2005, surveillance and detection are a
critical component in providing continuous situational awareness to
ensure maximum protection for the public. The creation of a worldwide
surveillance system capable of rapidly and reliably tracking the
mutation and presence of influenza strains is a necessary first step
in the fight against outbreaks.

Applied Biosystems outlined the following key components of its global
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 the
World Health Organization, have made clear that the world must develop
a robust global infectious disease surveillance infrastructure to
prevent pandemics from emerging," said Mark P. Stevenson, Division
President of Applied Markets for Applied Biosystems.

"Recognizing the importance of public and private partnerships to
fulfill this mission, Applied Biosystems is marshalling its expertise
in science, engineering, and manufacturing to meet this need,
beginning with the launch of specific solutions to address the avian
influenza threat," added Christopher P. Melancon, Director of
BioSecurity, Applied Markets Division of Applied Biosystems.

Avian Influenza Program Details

Applied Biosystems, along with key partners in the public health
community, is rolling out a comprehensive surveillance response to the
avian influenza threat to help public health agencies identify H5N1
outbreaks as well as track the ongoing genetic changes of virulent
influenza strains. This response includes the following components:

Standardized Surveillance and Detection Infrastructure

-- Detailed Genetic Analysis

Sequencing is an important technology for understanding genetic
changes in the influenza virus. Epidemiologists can use genetic
sequence information to track the evolution of the virus and the
spread of the disease throughout animal and human populations.

Applied Biosystems has solicited guidance from the World Health
Organization (WHO) headquarters and Collaborating Centres for
Influenza to provide standardized genome sequencing protocols and
technology to key public health laboratories around the world. Based
on this guidance, Applied Biosystems is designing sequencing protocols
and kits for distribution by March 2006, through the WHO Collaborating
Centres for Influenza in Melbourne, Australia. Based on Applied
Biosystems' industry-leading sequencing technology, viral genome
sequencing systems are capable of sequencing and analyzing the entire
influenza genome, including the dangerous H5N1 subtype. Over 12,000 of
Applied Biosystems' genetic analyzers, such as the 3130 Genetic
Analyzer product line and 3730 DNA Analyzer product line, are
installed 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 to determine whether
the virus is present in laboratory samples.

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

Applied Biosystems has developed a TaqMan(R) Influenza A/H5 Detection
Kit to detect the presence of the H5 subtype, including H5N1, in human
and animal samples in less than two hours. The kit, which is designed
to run using standardized protocols on Applied Biosystems real-time
PCR systems, is currently being tested and optimized for maximum
sensitivity against viral samples of the H5N1 subtype in Hong Kong.

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

"Genetic-based detection is one of the most reliable approaches for
detecting the presence of harmful pathogens, including the dangerous
Influenza H5N1 subtype," said Ian Barr, Ph.D., Deputy Director, World
Health Organization Influenza Collaborating Centre, Melbourne,
Australia. "We are pleased with the initiative that Applied Biosystems
has demonstrated in supporting the global influenza scientific
community to address this critical public health requirement and look
forward to the roll-out of these new assays."

Further confirmation testing of the detection kits will be conducted
at reference laboratory sites around the globe, including sites in
Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Kenya, Thailand, Japan, and Australia.
Applied Biosystems expects to ship these kits to select laboratories
before the end of 2005, with broad availability in early 2006. To
ensure availability of the kits in the event of an outbreak, Applied
Biosystems intends to stockpile materials in the United States, United
Kingdom, and Japan to enable a more rapid response to kit production
and distribution.

Global Influenza Information Availability

Applied Biosystems intends to purchase non-exclusive licenses
(subscriptions) for the analysis software associated with the Los
Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) Influenza Sequence Database
(http://www.flu.lanl.gov/). These licenses will give foreign
governments and/or public health laboratories located in high risk
areas of the world access to the analysis software. To ensure that
there is maximal sharing of scientific information about influenza
viruses between governments, scientific entities, and the private
sector, laboratories using Applied Biosystems' standardized sequencing
platform will be encouraged to submit influenza genome sequence
information to the LANL database, GenBank(R), the National Institutes
of Health (NIH) sequence database, or other publicly accessible
databases.

"Los Alamos National Laboratory is keenly interested in partnering
with Applied Biosystems and other partners to ensure that our
scientific expertise and analysis tools are available in the global
efforts 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 for
surveillance and detection of a broad range of infectious diseases for
epidemiological 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 Surveillance Initiative

Through its global installed base of life sciences research systems,
Applied Biosystems has been contributing toward public health
preparedness and life science knowledge for nearly 25 years. The goal
of Applied Biosystems' Global Infectious Disease Surveillance
Initiative is to enable a comprehensive biosecurity infrastructure to
help protect the public from emerging man-made and natural infectious
disease threats, including avian influenza, anthrax, tularemia,
plague, and other priority pathogens. By combining scientific
expertise, genetic analysis systems and surveillance kit development
with global distribution channels, Applied Biosystems intends to
deliver standardized and reliable biosecurity solutions for infectious
disease surveillance.

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

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

About Applera Corporation and Applied Biosystems

Applera Corporation consists of two operating groups. 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. The Celera Genomics Group (NYSE:CRA) is
engaged principally in the discovery and development of targeted
therapeutics for cancer, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Celera
Genomics is leveraging its proteomic, bioinformatic, and genomic
capabilities to identify and validate drug targets, and to discover
and develop small molecule therapeutics. It is also seeking to advance
therapeutic antibody and selected small molecule drug programs in
collaboration with global technology and market leaders. Celera
Diagnostics, a 50/50 joint venture between Applied Biosystems and
Celera Genomics, is focused on discovery, development, and
commercialization of diagnostic products. 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 Applied Biosystems is available at
http://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 phrases such
as "intends," "expects," "plans," and "should" 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 factors include
but are not limited to (1) rapidly changing technology could adversely
affect demand for Applied Biosystems' products, and its business is
dependent on development and customer acceptance of new products; (2)
Applied Biosystems' sales are dependent on customers' capital spending
policies and government-sponsored research; (3) potential liabilities
related to the use of hazardous materials, (4) risks associated with
lawsuits, arbitrations, investigations, and other legal actions with
private parties and governmental entities, particularly involving
claims for infringement of patents and other intellectual property
rights, and the possibility that Applied Biosystems may need to
license intellectual property from third parties to avoid or settle
such claims; (5) Applied Biosystems' dependence on the operation of
computer hardware, software, and Internet applications and related
technology; (6) unproven use of genomics information to develop or
commercialize products; and (7) 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.

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

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