Epoch Biosciences, Inc., a provider of proprietary products that accelerate genomic analysis, announced it has entered into a worldwide non-exclusive license with Celera Diagnostics, a joint venture between the Celera Genomics Group and Applied Biosystems Group of Applera Corporation, for incorporation of its MGB Technology and Eclipse Dark Quencher Technology into Celera' products for selected infectious diseases.

The license allows Celera Diagnostics to manufacture, sell and distribute TaqMan probes that utilize Epoch's minor groove binder and quencher in selected products. Under the license agreement, Epoch will receive license fees and royalties on sales of such licensed products to end users.

William Gerber, CEO of Epoch, said, "This agreement is a milestone for Epoch because it represents our first business agreement in the human diagnostics field. Our initial diagnostics strategy is to introduce a large portfolio of analyte-specific reagents for use by large laboratories, and during the past year we listed 17 ASRs with the FDA for the detection of infectious and inherited diseases. We plan to market many reagents directly and expect to introduce 20 in the first half of 2004, but we also intend to use partners for distribution of certain targets. The alliance between Celera Diagnostics and Abbott Laboratories, wherein Abbott distributes certain products developed and manufactured by Celera Diagnostics, is a powerful combination for accelerating the global impact of advanced molecular diagnostics."

Kathy Ordoñez, president of Celera Diagnostics, said, "We believe Epoch's technologies can help us achieve our goal of bringing diagnostics tools and products to clinical laboratories that provide timely and actionable information to benefit their ultimate customers; the medical decision makers and patients."