TED Ted Baker Plc

RNS No 3558w
TEPNEL LIFE SCIENCES PLC
13th May 1998
            
                         Tepnel Life Sciences plc                           
                                                                              
                                 Announcement                                 


Cheshire, England, 13 May 1998 - Tepnel Life Sciences plc, specialists in the
development and commercialisation of novel DNA based technologies for the Life
Sciences and Diagnostics market, today announces that it has signed heads of
agreement with two key European Distributors for its DARAS DNA detection
instrument.

Genaxis Biotechnology, a rapidly expanding specialist molecular biology and
genetic research supplier with offices throughout Europe, will sell into
France, while Benfar Scheller S.r.l. of Milan will focus on the Italian
clinical research market.   Benfar Scheller is a primary manufacturer of PCR
and Immunodiagnostic kits specialising in the detection of infectious disease,
viral infections and cancer markets.

Tepnel has additionally signed an exclusive agreement with a Japanese company
to evaluate DARAS' potential in Japan, with the intention of proceeding to a
formal distribution agreement for Japan later this year.   Japan is an
important market for DARAS - estimated to have 15% of the DNA research market
world-wide.

Since the launch of the DARAS analysis product the translation of the
considerable interest generated amongst potential users has yet to be
converted into actual instrument sales.   The Board believes that a larger
database of applications is required to fully demonstrate the potential of the
system.   The generation of this data has already started in the form of
collaborations with Manchester University and UMIST.   Professor Ollier at
Manchester University has clearly demonstrated that DARAS has the sensitivity
for point mutation detection, a significant event in the diagnosis of Genetics
Disorders.   At UMIST, Professor McCarthy is extending the current DARAS
application to RNA.   This could provide a new strategy for determining the
status of genetic disorders.   In addition to these collaborations, a number
of Tepnel instruments have also been placed in core sites in order to form a
user group whose application data can then be made available to distributors
and potential customers by early autumn.

Despite the slower sales build up, the Board has controlled the overhead cost
base and the losses before taxation for the second half of the current
financial year ending 30th June 1998 are expected to be similar to the levels
reported in respect of the first half of the year.

Commenting on these developments, Dr Simon Douglas, Chief Executive Officer,
said:

"Having agreements with these key distributors forms a vital part of our
marketing strategy.  The customer feedback from DARAS detection is exciting
but obviously the market education and validation is taking longer than
anticipated.   We are confident that with the developments taking place plus
our new commercially focused board, we are now in a strong position to deliver
sales based on the DARAS platform."

END

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