Agilent, Harvard Genomics in License Pact

Agilent Technologies Inc and Rosetta Inpharmatics Inc announced that the Center for Genomics Research at Harvard University has licensed the Rosetta Resolver Expression Data Analysis System for life science work. The Rosetta Resolver package is an enterprise-level bioinformatics system for gene expression research developed by Rosetta Inpharmatics and exclusively distributed by Agilent Technologies. The Rosetta Resolver System will be used by the Center to analyze data from a variety of commercial and internally developed DNA chip technologies, including Affymetrix GeneChip arrays.

Formed a year ago, the Harvard Center for Genomics Research integrates scientific and engineering disciplines in order to develop new genomics tools and to apply them to biological problems. The Center provides access to genomics technologies to a broad range of research groups from the various schools and hospitals affiliated with Harvard.

"The demands on the Genomics Center for gene microarray expression analysis are increasing dramatically and we needed an analysis system with a suite of bioinformatics tools that is both customizable and available now," said Dr. George Busby, director of administration of the Center for Genomics Research. "Given the vast amounts of data generated by our microarray experiments, we wanted an enterprise-level tool that is capable of analyzing and storing massive quantities of data from multiple microarray platforms."

"We are pleased to have one of the world's most prestigious academic institutions licensing the Rosetta Resolver System," said Bill Buffington, vice president and general manager of Agilent's Bioscience Products Group. "We believe that Rosetta provides the industry's most powerful bioinformatics platform, and selection of the Rosetta Resolver package by Harvard's Center for Genomics Research for their multi-department gene expression program serves to highlight that leadership. Agilent is pleased to be offering the Rosetta Resolver System as part of a rapidly expanding portfolio of products for our growing base of life sciences customers."

About Rosetta Inpharmatics

Rosetta Inpharmatics offers solutions to the emerging field of informational genomics. By combining the power of informatics and genomics, Rosetta has created a proprietary platform that accelerates and enhances the drug discovery process for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, and improves agricultural products. Rosetta Inpharmatics' approach converts the rapidly growing amount of gene expression data, or information about a gene's activity, into organized, statistically driven, information-based results. Rosetta Inpharmatics provides a proprietary gene expression profiling platform, consisting of hardware and software products, that uses gene expression profiles to provide seamless solutions for efficient, costeffective and powerful discovery programs. Rosetta Inpharmatics' technology builds a critical mass of coherent gene expression data collected from DNA microarrays, which are comprised of DNA fragments attached to glass slides in a grid-like formation. This platform provides comprehensive, simultaneous descriptions of a compound's effect on all relevant targets within a cell. Information about Rosetta Inpharmatics can be found on the Web at www.rii.com.

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies Inc is a diversified technology company, resulting from Hewlett-Packard Company's plan to strategically realign itself into two fully independent companies. With approximately 43,000 employees serving customers in more than 120 countries, Agilent Technologies is a global leader in designing and manufacturing test, measurement and monitoring instruments, systems and solutions, and semiconductor and optical components. The company serves markets that include communications, electronics, life sciences and healthcare. In fiscal year 1999, the businesses comprising Agilent, then a subsidiary of HP, had net revenue of more than $8.3 billion. Information about Agilent Technologies can be found on the Web at www.agilent.com.

Contact Agilent, Douglas Forsyth, 650-857-5603 doug_forsyth@agilent.com or Noonan/Russo Communications for Rosetta, Kesinee Yip, 415-677-4455, x244 k.yip@noonanrusso.com.