Celera and Merck Sign Technology License Agreement

Business Wire, July 9, 2002

Business Editors

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) announced today that it had signed a license agreement with Celera Genomics Group (NYSE:CRA), an Applera Corporation business, under which Merck has access to Celera's proprietary human and mouse genome databases.

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

The arrangement will provide Merck with Celera Genomics' valuable proprietary mouse and human genome sequence data and bioinformatic tools applicable to Merck's drug discovery and development programs, and in particular, to its molecular profiling efforts.

"Celera has developed a powerful alignment of human and murine genomic data that we are very pleased to access because of both the tools and content available today," noted Bennett M. Shapiro, M.D., executive vice president for Worldwide Licensing and External Research at Merck.

"Celera offers researchers a comprehensive platform for understanding human biology and health," said Jason Molle, senior vice president and general manager of Celera Genomics' Online/Information business. "We are pleased that Merck has chosen to utilize our databases, bioinformatics infrastructure and data-mining tools to advance its research programs."

Merck & Co., Inc. is a leading research-driven pharmaceutical products and services company. Merck discovers, develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of innovative products to improve human and animal health, directly and through its joint ventures.