FOSTER CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 23, 2006--

Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease and Dementia with Lewy Bodies Targeted in Protein Study Enabled by Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX's Advanced Technologies

Applied Biosystems (NYSE: ABI), an Applera Corporation business, and its joint venture partner, MDS Sciex, a division of MDS Inc. (NYSE:MDZ, TSX:MDS), today announced the outcome of the scientific research community's most extensive, spinal fluid-based protein study on neurodegenerative diseases to date. Researchers from the University of Washington, Applied Biosystems and three other research facilities discovered a panel of numerous unique candidate biomarkers that could potentially help develop more effective diagnostic tests and treatments for Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Dementia with Lewy Bodies - three age-related diseases that affect more than seven million people in the United States today.(1) The study was published in the August issue of The Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

The study is the first to simultaneously compare candidate biomarkers in these diseases.(2) To enable the simultaneous comparison, the researchers used iTRAQ(TM) reagent labeling technology to identify and quantify biomarkers. Protein biomarkers are biological entities that can indicate the risk, presence and/or progression of diseases. Once protein biomarkers are identified and validated, certain proteins can be targeted to either be blocked or enhanced in order to prevent or mitigate disease risk in patients and their families.

Lead author Dr. Jing Zhang MD, PhD, an associate professor of pathology at the University of Washington Medical School in Seattle, Washington, led a group of collaborating scientists from the University of Washington Medical School, Oregon Health and Science University, Baylor College of Medicine, Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center and Applied Biosystems to analyze proteins in the spinal fluid of people with these diseases to identify candidate biomarkers associated with each condition. The next step will be for the findings to be validated in a different and larger population of patients.

"The results of this research may be a catalyst to using protein biomarkers to slow down the rising tide of devastating neurodegenerative diseases," said Dr. Zhang. "Not only are these discoveries a beacon of hope for those people genetically susceptible to suffering from these diseases, but identifying panels of biomarkers could also potentially be used someday in the diagnosis and monitoring of these diseases."

The researchers identified approximately 1,500 proteins, constituting the most extensive characterization of proteins in the human cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) proteome to date. To support the study, Applied Biosystems provided the protein discovery systems that delivered the required level of sensitivity, protein quantitation and reliability to differentiate between proteins and overcome the complexities of the analysis. The CSF proteome has been difficult to study because of its complex nature and, without the proper level of sensitivity in previously available lab instrumentation, CSF neurodegenerative proteins can be confused with other neurological proteins within close proximity.

"The team of scientists set out together as partners on a common mission to cut through the complexities and unlock critical information about Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Dementia with Lewy Bodies," said Fadi Abdi, PhD, the collaborating scientist at Applied Biosystems. "Collaborating with other research scientists is a fundamental part of Applied Biosystems' strategy to advance proteomics."

An abstract of the full article entitled "Detection of Biomarkers with a Multiplex Quantitative Proteomic Platform in Cerebrospinal Fluid of Patients with Neurodegenerative Disorders" in The Journal of Alzheimer's Disease can be found at: http://www.j-alz.com/issues/9/vol9-3.html

Technology Background

Specific technologies supplied by Applied Biosystems and Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX to support the age-related disease research included the following:

    --  4800 MALDI TOF/TOF(TM) Analyzer: The study's authors utilized
        an advanced LC MALDI workflow on Applied Biosystems/MDS
        SCIEX's 4800 MALDI TOF/TOF(TM) Analyzer to achieve the depth
        of coverage needed to make this extensive analysis of the CSF
        possible. This MALDI TOF/TOF(TM) System is one of the most
        sensitive scientific techniques for the analysis of biological
        molecules.

    --  iTRAQ(TM) Reagents: The Applied Biosystems iTRAQ(TM) reagents
        generated simultaneous quantification and identification of
        the candidate biomarkers in multiple samples, which gave a
        more reliable foundation for biomarker discovery.

    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 over $1.9 billion during fiscal 2006. The Celera Genomics Group is primarily a molecular diagnostics business that is using proprietary genomics and proteomics discovery platforms to identify and validate novel diagnostic markers, and is developing diagnostic products based on these markers as well as other known markers. Celera Genomics maintains a strategic alliance with Abbott Laboratories for the development and commercialization of molecular, or nucleic acid-based, diagnostic products, and it is also developing new diagnostic products outside of this alliance. Through its genomics and proteomics research efforts, Celera Genomics is also discovering and validating therapeutic targets, and it is seeking strategic partnerships to develop therapeutic products based on these discovered targets. 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/

About MDS Sciex and MDS Inc.

MDS Sciex is the scientific instrumentation and technology solutions division of MDS Inc. MDS Inc. (TSX:MDS)(NYSE:MDZ) has more than 8,800 highly skilled people in 27 countries. It provides a diverse range of superior products and services to increase customers' speed, precision and productivity in the drug development and disease diagnosis processes. MDS is a global, values-driven life sciences company, recognized for its reliability and collaborative relationships that help create better outcomes in the treatment of disease. Find out more at http://www.mdsinc.com/ or by calling 1-800-MDS-7222, 24 hours a day.

1. According to the Alzheimer's Association, an estimated 4.5 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease. One in 10 individuals over 65 and nearly half of those over 85 are affected by this disease. According to the National Parkinson Foundation, it is estimated that 60,000 new Parkinson's disease cases are diagnosed each year in the United States, joining the 1.5 million Americans who currently have Parkinson disease. According to the Lewy Body Dementia Association, more than 800,000 people are affected by Dementia with Lewy Bodies, the second most frequent cause of degenerative dementia in elderly adults.

2. The simultaneous testing alleviates the limitation of current mass spectrometry, i.e. variation of ionization of peptides and sampling of ionized peptides.

Applied Biosystems Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking. These may be identified by the use of forward-looking words or phrases such as "believe," "expect," "should," "anticipate," and "planned," 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. The risks and uncertainties that may affect the operations, performance, development, and results of Applied Biosystems businesses, including its new activities in the clinical diagnostics instrumentation market, 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; and (3) 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 news 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.

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

Applera and iTRAQ are trademarks and Applied Biosystems and Celera are registered trademarks of Applera Corporation or its subsidiaries in the US and/or certain other countries. MALDI TOF/TOF is a trademark of Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX, a joint venture between Applera Corporation and MDS Inc. (C) 2006 Applera Corporation and MDS Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    CONTACT: Applied Biosystems
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             Anthony Petrucci, 508-383-7961
             Anthony.B.Petrucci@appliedbiosystems.com

             or
             Investors
             Peter Fromen, 650-638-5828
             peter.fromen@appliedbiosystems.com
             or
             MDS Inc. Media 
             Catherine Melville, 416-675-6777
             Catherine.melville@mdsinc.com

    SOURCE: Applied Biosystems