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PRINCETON, N.J. and ABINGDON, OXON., U.K., April 13, 2004 – Orchid Cellmark, Inc. (Nasdaq: ORCHD) today announced that its Orchid Europe
operation has been awarded an exclusive DNA analysis contract by the New
Zealand Immigration Service. Orchid will provide DNA testing services
to individuals seeking to migrate to New Zealand, when they cannot establish
their identities and biological relationships by conventional means. This
three-year contract was awarded to Orchid following a competitive bid
process and is potentially renewable for an additional two years. Further
details were not disclosed.
"It is critical that an approved and reliable system of DNA analysis
be available to assist residence applicants where documentation to establish
the necessary relationships between themselves and their sponsors does
not exist or is unreliable," said Gill Johnson of the New Zealand
Immigration Service. "We believe Orchid can deliver what we require
and we are looking forward to working with them."
Orchid, which markets several of its services under the Cellmark brand,
will provide DNA testing services under the contract to determine the
biological relationships between applicants and their family members,
including sponsors in New Zealand. Like most countries, New Zealand allows
immigration of certain relatives of its citizens and permanent residents.
DNA testing is particularly important for applicants from countries that
do not have records systems that enable applicants to otherwise satisfy
the New Zealand Immigration Service of the necessary family relationships.
"DNA relationship analysis is increasingly being used as part of
government immigration programs and often requires the complex analysis
that we specialize in," said David Hartshorne, commercial director
of Orchid Europe. "Orchid has an established reputation for quality
and accurate testing and is at the forefront of developing new technologies
and services to assess claimed relationships. We are delighted to be the
provider of choice for the New Zealand Immigration Service."
In addition to this contract with the New Zealand Immigration Service,
Orchid is also the exclusive provider of immigration DNA testing for the
UK government’s UKVisa’s program, and the sole supplier to the
Norwegian government’s immigration department. Work under this contract
will be provided at Orchid’s Abingdon facility in the U.K.
About Orchid Cellmark Europe
Orchid Europe offers DNA testing services to verify relationships for
a variety of applications and is one of the largest providers of paternity
testing services in Europe. It is a leading supplier of forensic DNA profiling
for criminal investigation, a rapidly growing area in which the U.K. is
a world leader. It is also the major supplier of genotyping services to
the U.K. Government’s National Scrapie Plan, delivering high throughput
DNA testing services to help British farmers breed sheep with reduced
susceptibility to this prion disease. More information about the range
of DNA testing services and products available from Orchid Cellmark
Europe can be found at www.orchideurope.com.
About Orchid Cellmark, Inc.
Orchid Cellmark is the leading provider of services and products for
profiling genetic uniqueness. Orchid’s interlocking strategic business
units address distinctive markets that together represent a unique balance
of established, predictable growth, such as forensic and paternity DNA
testing, and large upside potential, like pharmacogenetics-based personalized
healthcare. All leverage Orchid’s network of accredited genotyping
laboratories, its leading technologies and its expertise in genetic analysis.
Orchid provides identity genomics testing for forensics and paternity
through Orchid Cellmark and Orchid GeneScreen, and also provides public
health genotyping services. Orchid GeneShield is developing pharmacogenetics-based
programs designed to accelerate the adoption of personalized healthcare.
More information on Orchid can be found at www.orchid.com.
All statements in this press release
that are not historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning
of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act as amended, including statements
regarding the fact that immigration related genetic testing is a rapidly
growing global market. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties
that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected,
including, but not limited to, uncertainties relating to technologies,
product development, manufacturing, market acceptance, cost and pricing
of Orchid products and services, dependence on collaborations and partners,
regulatory approvals, competition, intellectual property of others, patent
protection, litigation, Orchid’s ability to obtain additional financing
and Orchid’s listing on the Nasdaq National Market. These risks and
other additional factors affecting Orchid’s business are discussed
under the headings "Risks Related to Our Business," "Risks
Related to the Biotechnology Industry" and "Risks Associated
with Our Common Stock" in Orchid’s Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2002, and Orchid’s Registration Statement
on Form S-3 and the prospectus contained therein dated June 6, 2003, each
as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and in other filings
made by Orchid with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to
time. Orchid expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release
publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained
herein to reflect any change in Orchid’s expectations with regard
thereto or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which
any such statements are based, except as may be required by law.
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