Philadelphia, Pa., July 22, 2003

Roche Diagnostics COBAS TaqMan™ 48 Analyzer Offers Real-Time PCR Capability for Infectious Disease Testing

Roche Diagnostics today displayed its latest advancement in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing - the COBAS TaqMan 48 Analyzer - at the American Association of Clinical Chemistry (AACC) Clinical Lab Expo.

The COBAS TaqMan 48 Analyzer is designed for clinical diagnostics laboratories that are seeking a solution to the complexity of molecular diagnostic testing and require a single, simple system for all of their real-time PCR needs, from IVD assays through homebrew testing.

This instrument features a flexible six-to-48 specimen batch size and the ability to perform two assays simultaneously. The initial menu planned for this new instrument will be PCR tests for HIV, HBV, and HCV.

"The TaqMan introduction means there will be a single system capable of meeting various customer needs which may include home-brew assays, research, and in vitro diagnostics as they become available. Regardless of the application, all will utilize Roche's patented real-time TaqMan technology, and bring real-time PCR technology to the non-research clinical lab," said Dick Aderman, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Roche Molecular and Centralized Diagnostics, North America. "Twenty years ago PCR technology was introduced, and it has held infinite promise. We look forward to the future of healthcare and remain committed to developing new applications of PCR."

The process known as "real-time PCR" offers significant advantages to diagnostic laboratories in terms of efficiency and productivity. Along with the increase in speed, real-time quantitative PCR can help reduce the threat of contamination, as the entire test takes place in a sealed tube. In addition, real-time PCR-based quantitative methods assist in providing an increase in dynamic range, which makes the process more useful for a variety of applications. The elimination of a separate detection step can significantly reduce hands-on time, a major advantage for laboratories attempting to control costs while increasing output.

About Roche's PCR Technology

Roche's patented polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology is one of the most advanced methods in molecular diagnostics and one that earned its discoverer a Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1993. PCR allows minute amounts of genetic material to be amplified into billions of copies (that is, to detectable levels) in only a few hours. In addition to its applications in nucleic acid fingerprinting and the diagnosis and monitoring of disease, PCR enables detection of infectious agents earlier on in the infection cycle, often before symptoms appear. Standard immunoassay testing, in contrast, detects evidence of a body's immune response (antibodies) later in the infection cycle, leaving an increased period of time when infections can be missed. Through its global licensing and scientific collaboration programs, Roche has developed and encouraged the utility of PCR technology for a wide variety of clinical and research applications.

About Molecular Diagnostics:

Roche Molecular Diagnostics, a business area of Roche Diagnostics, has made the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) the leading nucleic acid amplification technology (NAT) in the world. PCR technology allows minute amounts of genetic material to be amplified into billions of copies in just a few hours, thereby facilitating detection of the DNA or RNA of pathogenic organisms even before antibodies to these organisms are formed.

About Roche and the Roche Diagnostics Division
Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is one of the world's leading innovation-driven healthcare groups. Its core businesses are pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. Roche is number one in the global diagnostics market, the leading supplier of pharmaceuticals for cancer and a leader in virology and transplantation. As a supplier of products and services for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, the Group contributes on a broad range of fronts to improving people's health and quality of life. Roche employs roughly 62,000 people in 150 countries. The Group has alliances and research and development agreements with numerous partners, including majority ownership interests in Genentech and Chugai. Roche's Diagnostics Division, the world leader in in-vitro diagnostics with a uniquely broad product portfolio, supplies a wide array of innovative testing products and services to researchers, physicians, patients, hospitals and laboratories world-wide. For further information, please visit our websites www.roche.com and www.roche-diagnostics.com.