Applied Biosystems Adds More Than a Million New TaqMan(R) SNP Genotyping Assays to Its Collection

Ready-to-Use Assays Enable Researchers to Easily Conduct Experiments
Using the Recently Completed HapMap Dataset and Additional
Pharmaceutically Relevant 'Coding SNPS'

Applied Biosystems (NYSE:ABI), an Applera Corporation business,
today announced it has added more than a million new assays to its
collection of pre-designed, ready-to-use TaqMan(R) SNP Genotyping
Assays. The new assays provide access to the recently completed
International HapMap data set and include more than 11,000 new assays
for putative functional single nucleotide polymorphisms that occur in
coding regions of genes, also referred to as coding SNPs.
Applied Biosystems said its collection of more than 3.4 million
assays is the largest set of ready-to-use genotyping assays available
to investigate genetic variation of medical and biological importance
in the human genome, and for conducting population based studies and
basic research. The collection also represents the most complete
pre-designed, genome-wide assay set based on the International HapMap
Project data set. The assays are designed for use on the Applied
Biosystems real-time PCR sequence detection systems.
Inherited genetic variations influence susceptibility to disease,
including complex diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes,
and can also play a role in adverse drug reactions. By studying
patterns of genetic variation using genotyping experiments,
researchers can find clues on how to better prevent, diagnosis and
treat disease. These studies can also reveal valuable information
about human evolution and basic mechanisms of genetic regulation.

Applied Biosystems Now Offers Pre-designed Assays for the Recently
Completed HapMap Data Set

With the recent completion of the HapMap project, Applied
Biosystems has developed more than one million new assays for the
latest HapMap data set to bring its total number of assays for this
data to 2.6 million. The International HapMap Project is a large-scale
research project that has developed a public resource to help
researchers find genes associated with human disease and response to
pharmaceuticals.
"The completion of the HapMap Project has contributed a wealth of
data for disease researchers," said Mark Stevenson, president of the
molecular and cell biology division of Applied Biosystems. "Our goal
is to make it as easy as possible for scientists to mine these and
other available SNP data, select the optimal SNPs for their studies
and get straight to the work of uncovering variations of medical
significance."

Applied Biosystems Introduces New Assays for Disease and
Pharmaceutically-relevant Coding SNPs

Applied Biosystems also added more than 11,000 new assays for
coding SNPs, which are designed to identify genetic variations that
cause changes at the protein level. These variations are more likely
than other variations in the non-coding regions to cause
predisposition to disease or influence positive or negative response
to drug therapy.
For example, the coding SNP assays include a set of variants in
genes that are common drug targets and for genes previously implicated
in genetic diseases. With this release, the collection now includes
more than 60,000 total assays for coding SNPs, which makes this the
most comprehensive set of assays for such potentially functional SNPs.

Scientists Can Access Data and Assays with Free Visualization and
Study Design Tool

Applied Biosystems also announced that it has updated its free
SNPbrowser(TM) software tool to include the entire HapMap data set and
the newly available genotyping assays. The SNPbrowser software allows
scientists to quickly and easily visualize SNPs of interest in their
genomic context, along with linkage disequilibrium maps and putative
haplotype blocks derived from the analysis of more than six million
SNPs and 650 million genotypes for four ethnic populations:
African-American, Caucasian, Chinese and Japanese.
The software provides an intuitive, visual interface to guide
selection of optimal sets of SNPs for association and fine mapping
studies, as well as a direct link to order Applied Biosystems TaqMan
and SNPlex(TM) System assays. Available as a free download, the latest
version, SNPbrowser software v3.5, also allows users to view and
export the complete set of HapMap SNPs in all genomic regions, whether
or not assays are available for a specific SNP.
For more information, or to download the free SNPbrowser software
v3.5, visit http://www.allsnps.com/snpbrowser.

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 USD 1.8
billion during fiscal 2005. The Celera Genomics Group uses proprietary
genomics and proteomics discovery platforms to develop molecular
diagnostic products and to identify and validate novel drug targets.
Celera maintains a strategic alliance in molecular diagnostics with
Abbott Laboratories. In addition, Celera is developing new molecular
diagnostic and pharmacogenomic assays outside of its alliance with
Abbott. Therapeutic antibodies against Celera-discovered drug targets
are being advanced through strategic partnerships. 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 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 "should, "planned," and "expect," 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 and dependence
on the development and customer acceptance of new products; (2) sales
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 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.

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

Practice of the patented 5' Nuclease Process requires a license
from Applied Biosystems. The purchase of the TaqMan(R) SNP Genotyping
Assay includes an immunity from suit under patents specified in the
product insert to use only the amount purchased for the purchaser's
own internal research when used with the separate purchase of an
Authorized 5' Nuclease Core Kit. No other patent rights are conveyed
expressly, by implication, or by estoppel. For further information on
purchasing licenses contact the Director of Licensing, Applied
Biosystems, 850 Lincoln Centre Drive, Foster City, California 94404,
USA.

Applied Biosystems, AB (Design) and Celera are registered
trademarks and Applera, Celera Genomics, SNPlex, and SNPbrowser are
trademarks of Applera Corporation or its subsidiaries in the US and/or
certain other countries. TaqMan is a registered trademark of Roche
Molecular Systems, Inc. (C) Copyright 2006 Applera Corporation. All
rights reserved.