Woburn, MA (August 15, 2002)- U.S. Genomics, a leader in developing technology for high-speed genetic analysis, today announced a key addition to its team. Dr. J. Craig Venter, president, The Center for the Advancement of Genomics, has joined the Board of Directors at U.S. Genomics and has become a scientific advisor to the company in advancing genomics technologies and methods.

“I am impressed with the GeneEngine ™ technology that U.S. Genomics has developed as I believe it has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of human biology and thus medicine and drug development,” said Dr. Venter. “The ability to rapidly characterize genomes will allow researchers to easily compare populations among species and thus uncover important genetic variations that could be implicated in disease susceptibility. This advance in technology also could allow us to make important discoveries in evolutionary biology through these comparisons.”

U.S. Genomics’ GeneEngine™ platform is a technology for high speed and comprehensive genomic analysis. Current applications include enriched haplotyping, expression studies, bio-defense and microbial analysis. Using direct, linear readings of long, unbroken segments of DNA, it has the potential to capture comprehensive genetic data, offering researchers a technology to decode genomes, identify genetic variations, and enable pharmacogenomics, drug discovery, population genetics, and agbiotech applications.

“Dr. Venter is a pioneer in the field of genomics,” said Eugene Chan, Chairman and CEO of U.S. Genomics. “We look forward to his guidance in our development of the GeneEngine™ technology. His scientific insights will be invaluable as we extend the platform to enable personal genomics.”

Dr. Venter is well known for his innovative and maverick approaches to large-scale genomic research projects that have led to the sequencing of numerous microbial genomes as well as the fruit fly, human, and mouse genomes. He has published more than 200 scientific papers and founded multiple centers for genomic research, including The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR) and Celera Genomics. Recently he founded three new not-for profit research institutes, The Center for the Advancement of Genomics, the Institute for Biological Energy Alternatives, and The J. Craig Venter Science Foundation.

These organizations are dedicated to exploring social and ethical issues in genomics, as well as seeking alternative solutions to energy through microbial sources. In a separate announcement today, Dr. Venter’s three not-for profit organizations unveiled a plan to create a next generation high-throughput sequencing facility. In addition, this center will include a research laboratory to explore the latest in genomics technologies. U.S. Genomics GeneEngine™ technology will be one of the new key components in the mission to rapidly and accurately analyze genomes.

About U.S. Genomics
U.S. Genomics (USG) is developing breakthrough technologies for high-speed genetic analysis of DNA for the global life sciences industry. The Company’s GeneEngine™ method of direct, linear analysis, which is modeled after nature’s cellular machinery used to read genetic material, incorporates nanotechnology, molecular biology, engineering and biophysics. USG’s technology will enable faster, more cost-effective access to genomic information needed for drug discovery, pharmacogenomics, and diagnostics. The company has established research collaborations with the Wellcome Trust Sanger Center and Dr. Pui-Yan Kwok of the University of California, San Francisco (formerly of Washington University) and has been financed by Health Care Ventures, CB Health Ventures, J&J Development Corp., and Still River Fund. For more information, please visit www.usgenomics.com.