BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, U.K., Feb. 16, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Amersham (LSE: AHM) (NYSE:AHM) (OSE:AHM) and the Diagnostics Division of Bayer HealthCare LLC, a member of the Bayer Group (NYSE:BAY) ("Bayer"), today announced they have entered into an exclusive worldwide agreement for joint development of assays and instrumentation in the field of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) sequencing as well as sequencing of other important infectious disease-causing pathogens. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.Under the terms of the agreement, Amersham will supply a modified version of its existing MegaBACE gene sequencer instruments and Bayer will develop sequencing assay applications for this MegaBACE sequencer. In addition, Bayer will purchase Amersham's reagents, notably its four color dyes and proprietary enzymes as well as other consumables, for current and future assays. Both companies intend to seek regulatory approval from the FDA for the MegaBACE instrumentation and disease-specific assays.
"The availability of rapid genotypic analysis of HIV through DNA sequencing will increase the use of HIV-1 diagnostic assays in understanding resistance profiles and transmission patterns in the clinical management of patients," said Andrew Carr, Ph.D. President, Discovery Systems, Amersham Biosciences. "Our agreement with Bayer also enables Amersham to transition our key DNA sequencing instrumentation and reagents from their significant role in the sequencing of the human genome to the diagnosis of infectious disease types and clinical interpretation of infection."
"This agreement with Amersham allows Bayer to broaden its genotyping portfolio and its comprehensive line of diagnostic products designed to aid in the treatment and monitoring of people living with HIV disease and AIDS," said Peter Knueppel, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Nucleic Acid Diagnostics Business Segment, Bayer Diagnostics. "Bayer and Amersham's complementary expertise will facilitate the development of innovative TRUGENE(R) assays on the Amersham high-throughput sequencer to provide wide access to personalized medicine."
About Amersham
Amersham (LSE, NYSE, OSE: AHM) is a leader in medical diagnostics and in life sciences. Headquartered in the UK, the company had sales of 1.62 billion Pounds in 2002 and has over 10,000 employees worldwide. Its strategy is to build its position as a leading provider of products and technologies enabling disease to be better understood, diagnosed earlier and treated more effectively.
Amersham - bringing vision to medical discovery For more information, visit our website at www.amersham.com
About Bayer Diagnostics
With approximately 7,000 employees worldwide and 2002 sales of $1.9 billion, Bayer Diagnostics (www.bayerdiag.com), based in Tarrytown, New York, U.S.A., is one of the largest diagnostic businesses in the world. The organization supports customers in 100 countries through an extensive portfolio of central, self-testing, nucleic acid and near patient care diagnostics systems and services for use in the assessment and management of health, including the areas of cardiovascular and kidney disease, oncology, virology, women's health and diabetes. Bayer Diagnostics' global headquarters in the United States operates as part of Bayer HealthCare LLC, a member of the worldwide Bayer HealthCare group About Bayer HealthCare
Bayer HealthCare AG, a subgroup of Bayer AG with sales of approximately 9.4 billion Euro in 2002, is one of the world's leading, innovative companies in the health care and medical products industry.
The company combines the global activities of the divisions Animal Health, Biological Products, Consumer Care, Diagnostics and Pharmaceuticals. More than 34,000 people are employed by Bayer HealthCare worldwide.
Our aim is to discover and manufacture innovative products that will improve human and animal health worldwide. Our products enhance well-being and quality of life by diagnosing, preventing and treating disease.
This news release contains forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in our public reports filed with the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (including our Form 20-F). The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.