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News Release

February 19, 1997

Hitachi and Perkin-Elmer Announce Strategic Partnership to Develop and Manufacture New Genetic Analysis Systems

Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE:HIT) and Perkin-Elmer Corporation (NYSE:PKN) today announced a strategic partnership to develop and manufacture electrophoresis-based genetic analysis instrumentation. Under the agreement, the companies will jointly develop new automated systems that will be manufactured by Hitachi and marketed by Perkin-Elmer's Applied Biosystems Division. Perkin- Elmer will receive exclusive rights to market the systems worldwide with the exception of Japan in which the companies will jointly market these products.

Mr. Hiroshi Inomata, board director of Hitachi, and general manager of the Instrument Division stated " Hitachi is proud to have joined with Perkin-Elmer in this collaboration and we are looking forward to a lasting and mutually rewarding relationship. As part of our underlying philosophy as a company, we are eager to contribute to society and the further development of products that serve mankind. In that spirit, by joining with Perkin-Elmer for the development of genetic analysis electrophoresis products, we will enable scientists worldwide to take advantage of the synergy of our collective resources."

"Hitachi's experience in high-throughput DNA sequencing technologies, combined with its expertise in manufacturing instrumentation for regulated markets, makes it an ideal partner to develop systems for a new generation of customers," said Michael W. Hunkapiller, Ph.D., Perkin-Elmer senior vice president and president of its Applied Biosystems Division.

"In addition, Hitachi has an extensive portfolio of intellectual property in this field, largely due to the pioneering work conducted by Dr. Hideki Kambara's group at the Central Research Laboratory, one of the largest private R&D facilities in the world. This relationship will make Hitachi's intellectual property available to Perkin-Elmer. More importantly, the combined forces of PE Applied Biosystems and Hitachi in research and development will significantly accelerate programs for product innovations in untapped market segments."

"As genetic analysis moves beyond research into a variety of new industrial and medical settings, the requirements for system design, performance, and validation are changing," Dr. Hunkapiller said. " This partnership will significantly improve our ability to respond more rapidly to those market needs throughout the world."


WRITTEN BY Secretary's Office
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