ACLA Aclara Biosciences, (MM)

ACLARA Receives Four U.S. Patents for Its eTag(TM) and Nanofluidic Technologies MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., April 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ACLARA BioSciences announced the issuance of four U.S. patents that strengthen the intellectual property around its eTag technology: Nos. 6,682,887 and No. 6,686,152 with claims related to certain eTag applications; No. 6,673,550 with broad claims related to certain specific eTag reporter molecules including assays related to protein and protein complex expression; and No. 6,685,813 with claims related to eTag sample handling in a nanofluidic setting. "We are very excited by these patent issuances from the U.S. Patent Office," said Thomas Klopack, Chief Executive Officer of ACLARA. "ACLARA has a large intellectual property portfolio. A growing component of this patent estate is related to our novel eTag technology on which we are building an exciting business focused on the discovery of biomarkers, the development of assays to supportclinical trial programs, and ultimately diagnostic products and services, for targeted cancer therapies. Beyond specific eTag assays, our strategy is to extend our intellectual property to include novel biomarkers and their use in identifying patientsmore likely to respond to certain drugs. In addition we have a large collection of patents and patent applications covering different aspects of microfluidic and nanofluidic technologies. While we are not actively using these latter patents in our current operations, we believe they may find increasing application in future research and diagnostic processes performed at the "nano" scale." ACLARA continually strives to strengthen and expand its large portfolio of patents and patent applications. ACLARA has 63 pending and issued U.S. patents related to the eTag technology and 71 pending and issued U.S. patents related to microfluidic and nanofluidic technologies, as well as a large number of international patent applications and patents. About theeTag Assay System The eTag Assay System is a high performance, high throughput system for the simultaneous measurement of 10's to 100's of genes, proteins, and cell-based antigens across thousands of samples. The eTag platform makes it possible for researchers to measure multiple aspects of a complex biological system, enabling the study of gene expression, protein expression, cell signaling and pathway activation, protein-protein interaction, post-translational modifications and cell receptor binding -- all in the same sample and with the same platform. The system uses ACLARA's proprietary eTag reporters to multiplex the analysis of genes and/or proteins. Specific molecular binding events result in the release of electrophoretically distinct eTag reporters, which are then resolved by standard capillary electrophoresis to provide precise, sensitive quantitation of multiple analytes -- directly from cell lysates of cultured or primary cells, as well as fresh and fixed tissue samples. ACLARA'seTag Assay System is being commercialized for use both in drug discovery research and to support preclinical and clinical development of specific targeted therapies. In these application areas, pharmaceutical researchers are able to access eTag reagent products, software, and services. For multiplexed gene expression, ACLARA uses eTag Multiplex Invader(R) Assays, which incorporate Invader technology and Cleavase(R) enzyme and are licensed for use from Third Wave Technologies, Inc. About ACLARA ACLARA BioSciences, Inc. is developing advanced tools for drug discovery and development using its proprietary eTag assay platform. The Company's products allow researchers to have decision-critical information for drug development, which previously was difficult or impossible to obtain. The solution-phase eTag Assay System is cost-effective, easy-to-use and flexible, and enables highly accurate and precise analysis of genes and/or proteins from limited biological samples. Importantly, researchers canuse their existing instrument platforms to perform eTag analyses. More information on ACLARA can be obtained on the Company's web site at http://www.aclara.com/. Forward Looking Statement All statements in this news release that are not historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as amended. Such forward-looking statements are subject to factors that could cause actual results to differ materially for ACLARA from those projected. Those factors include risks and uncertainties relating to the performance of the Company's products, anticipated progress in commercialization of our eTag(TM) assay system; the potential for use of our eTag assays in clinical development programs; the potential for use of our eTag assays as diagnostic tests; our ability to establish reliable, high-volume operations at commercially reasonable costs; expected reliance on a few customers for the majority of our revenues; actual market acceptance of our products andadoption of our technological approach and products by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies; our estimate of the size of our markets; our estimates of the levels of demand for our products; our ability to develop organizational capabilities suitable for the further development and commercialization of our eTag assays; the ultimate validity and enforceability of our patent applications and patents; the possible infringement of the intellectual property of others; technological approaches of ACLARA and its competitors; and other risk factors identified in the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Trademarks ACLARA BioSciences is a registered trademark, and eTag and the ACLARA logo are trademarks of ACLARA BioSciences, Inc. Invader and Cleavase are registered trademarks of Third Wave Technologies, Inc. DATASOURCE: ACLARA BioSciences, Inc. CONTACT: Alfred Merriweather, VP, Finance and CFO of ACLARA BioSciences, Inc., +1-650-210-1200, or Web site: http://www.aclara.com/

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