Microarray with Yeast Proteome; Breakthrough Technology Will Follow with Human Protein Array Subsets in Late 2004 (June 2004)

07:00am ET SAN FRANCISCO & CARLSBAD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 8, 2004--Invitrogen Corporation (Nasdaq:IVGN) today announced the upcoming launch of the Yeast ProtoArray(TM), the first commercial release of a comprehensive protein microarray, or protein chip, for general research applications. This high-throughput technology permits simultaneous and rapid screening of thousands of proteins in a miniaturized format that is compatible with standard laboratory equipment.

The release of the Yeast ProtoArray is an important step toward applying this powerful microarray technology to protein studies in humans, and as a result Invitrogen also announced its intent to release microarray chips containing collections of human proteins beginning in the fall of 2004. "Studying large groups of proteins with this detail and at this speed has not been possible until now," said Gregory T. Lucier, Invitrogen's President and CEO. "These revolutionary protein microarrays, which have the potential to streamline drug target identification, selection and validation, are of particular relevance to our pharmaceutical and biotechnology partners who are seeking more efficient and effective drug discovery technologies." Proteins are essential to biological and medical research because they are responsible for normal and abnormal functions in every living cell. But creating a comprehensive protein microarray has been difficult because producing the thousands of complex proteins needed in a fully functional microarray format is technically challenging and time consuming.

The breakthrough technology to accomplish this was made possible by proprietary protein microarray production capabilities, along with the proprietary bioinformatics needed to monitor and facilitate each stage of protein production that Invitrogen obtained with the April acquisition of Protometrix of Branford, Connecticut. Invitrogen is further enhancing the performance of the Protometrix technology by integrating gene sequences from its "Ultimate(TM) ORF" collection, cloning capabilities from its Gateway(R) Technology, florescent dye labeling from its Molecular Probes Division and other proprietary technologies. "Invitrogen's comprehensive protein microarrays have the potential to answer questions that cannot be addressed by other technologies and to enable scientists to conduct research with novel proteins that have not been studied before," said Dr. Hollis Kleinert, President and CEO of Protometrix. "The arrays could help researchers rapidly discover new disease pathways, identify novel drug targets and determine how drugs exert both intended and unwanted effects. I also believe researchers will be able to use this exciting new capability to study normal life processes such as protein changes that occur with aging." Invitrogen's first comprehensive protein microarray covers the yeast organism, which is a frequently studied model for basic biological processes in humans with 50 percent of yeast proteins having human counterparts -- 30 percent of these nearly identical. Beginning later this year, microarrays containing collections of human proteins grouped by family or function will be available, followed in 2006 by human proteome arrays covering proteins representative of the majority of human genes. Mentioned Last Change IVGN 63.78 1.13dollars or (1.74%) A press briefing will provide more details on Invitrogen's protein microarray initiative and is scheduled for Tuesday, June 8 at 10 a.m. PDT, at Room #303 in the Moscone Convention Center, during the BIO 2004 conference in San Francisco. Mr. Lucier also is scheduled to speak as one of the industry's "visionaries" at the BIO breakfast session on Wednesday, June 9th. About Invitrogen Invitrogen Corporation (Nasdaq:IVGN) provides products and services that support academic and government research institutions and pharmaceutical and biotech companies worldwide in their efforts to improve the human condition.

The company provides essential life science technologies for disease research, drug discovery, and commercial bioproduction. Invitrogen's own research and development efforts are focused on breakthrough innovation in all major areas of biological discovery including functional genomics, proteomics, bio-informatics and cell biology -- placing Invitrogen's products in nearly every major laboratory in the world. Founded in 1987, Invitrogen is headquartered in Carlsbad, California and conducts business in more than 70 countries around the world. The company globally employs approximately 3,800 scientists and other professionals. For more information about Invitrogen, visit the company's web site at www.invitrogen.com . Safe Harbor Statement / Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this press release are considered "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and it is Invitrogen's intent that such statements be protected by the safe harbor created thereby. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to statements that: 1) the release of the Yeast ProtoArray will yield similar products for human protein studies and that Invitrogen will release products for human proteins in 2004; 2)

The protein microarrays will streamline drug target identification, selection and validation for biotechnology and pharmaceutical partners; 3) Invitrogen will continue to enhance the ProtoArray technology with its other cloning, labeling and detection and drug discovery technologies; 4) These protein microarrays will answer questions that cannot be addressed by other technologies such as the discovery of new disease pathways, novel drug targets and drug effects, as well as normal life processes. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risks that: a) Invitrogen may change its Proteomics strategy and opt not to pursue or commercialize human protein microarray products; b) the protein microarrays may not have a significant effect on the drug discovery and development process; c) Invitrogen may choose not to incorporate the ProtoArray line into its larger system for life science research; d) The protein microarrays may not uncover unique drug targets or effects or disease pathways and the competitive landscape in Proteomics may change, introducing other similar technologies, as well as other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in Invitrogen's Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

CONTACT:
Invitrogen Corporation Media: Greg Geissman, 760-476-7032 gregory.geissman@invitrogen.com