Zurich, Switzerland and Rockford, III., USA  17 May 2004  – Tecan, a leader in the healthcare supply industry, and Pierce Biotechnology, a leading provider of advanced reagents for drug-discovery research, today announced an agreement to develop and co-market a series of high-throughput screening (HTS) solutions offering fluorescence lifetime technology (FLT).

The collaborative effort will use Tecan’s Ultra Evolution Detection Platform for high-throughput fluorescence lifetime measurements and Pierce’s HTS assay technologies. FLT is a highly sensitive spectroscopic technology ideally suited to drug-screening procedures. By overcoming key bottlenecks associated with HTS assays, such as compound interference and false-positive or negative results, this high-performance solution will deliver significant benefits for compound library screening and lead compound validation.

“The development of an optimized solution for FLT-based assays represents a major advance to fully exploit the potential of Tecan’s Ultra Evolution Detection Platform. By working with the leader in assay development, we will be able to provide powerful solutions that address many of the key barriers associated with obtaining quality test results,” said Aitor Galdos, Chief Executive Officer of Tecan.

“This collaboration brings together two powerful innovators with strong market positions in their respective fields of reagents and detection technologies,” said Leland Foster, President and Chief Executive Officer of Fisher Biochemicals, Pierce’s parent organization. “The complementary technology platforms will result in assays that will be more sensitive, accurate and robust in the development of new medicines.”

As part of the co-marketing agreement, the two companies will share specific product information and support. Each company will co-promote the other’s technologies in sales and marketing literature for their respective technology. The companies plan to develop a series of scientific application notes that describe challenging or novel applications that can be more easily accomplished or yield better results using the combination of Pierce and Tecan products. Financial details were not disclosed.

About Tecan

Tecan is a leading player in the health care supply industry that specializes in the development, production, and distribution of solutions enabling the discovery of pharmaceutical substances, as well as for genomics, proteomics, and diagnostics. Tecan clients are leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, university research departments and diagnostic laboratories. Founded in Switzerland in 1980, the company has manufacturing, research and development sites in both North America and Europe and maintains a sales and service network in 52 countries. In 2003, Tecan achieved sales of CHF 311.6 million (USD 230.8 million; EUR 205.0 million).  Registered shares of Tecan Group are traded on the SWX Swiss Exchange (TK: TECN / Reuters: TECZn.S / Valor : 1210019).

About Pierce

Pierce is a world-leading provider of products and tools for drug discovery and protein research. Pierce’s expertise in protein chemistry, biomarkers, chemiluminescent detection, immunology and cytokine assays provides life scientists with the innovative products and protocols they need to achieve their research goals. Pierce is part of Perbio Science, a unit of Fisher Scientific International, Inc. (NYSE:FSH).

For more information, please contact :

Tecan Group Ltd

Cornelia Kegele
Manager Marketing Communications and Branding
Tel.: +41 (0)44 922 81 11
Fax: +41 (0)44 922 82 81
e-Mail: cornelia.kegele@tecan.com
Internet:www.tecan.com

Pierce Biotechnology, Inc

Ted DeFrank
CommunicationsPresident
Tel.: +1 815 968 0747
E-Mail: ted.defrank@piercenet.com