For Immediate Release

EPOCH BIOSCIENCES AND AMERSHAM BIOSCIENCES ANNOUNCE GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION PACT

Deal Provides Worldwide Direct Sales and Support of MGB EclipseTM Probe Systems for Gene Expression, DNA Detection, and SNP Analysis

July 30, 2002

BOTHELL, WA and PISCATAWAY, NJ -- Epoch Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: EBIO), a provider of proprietary products that accelerate genomic analysis, and Amersham Biosciences, the life sciences business of Amersham plc (LSE: NYSE: OSE: AHM), today announced that Amersham Biosciences will become the exclusive worldwide sales and marketing partner of Epoch Bioscience's MGB EclipseTM Probe Systems to the research field. Under the terms of the agreement, Amersham Biosciences will offer MGB Eclipse products as part of its genomics product portfolio to researchers in the life sciences industry and to pharmaceutical companies conducting internal research. Amersham will need to meet certain undisclosed milestones to retain its exclusive distributor status. Other financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed

William G. Gerber, Chief Executive Officer of Epoch Biosciences said, "This agreement with Amersham Biosciences affirms the value of our technology and assures that Epoch's products will participate centrally in the rapidly growing real-time PCR market. Our goal has been to forge an alliance with a partner capable of capturing significant market share in a large, dynamic segment, and we have chosen a powerful global leader with the infrastructure to bring the benefits of the MGB Eclipse Probe System to small and large research customers wherever they are located."

Trevor Hawkins, Senior Vice President of genomics for Amersham Biosciences said, "The enhanced specificity and high performance associated with the MGB Eclipse Probe System will help us execute our strategy for addressing the real-time PCR market in a comprehensive and decisive manner. We believe that the capability of MGB Eclipse probes to detect difficult sequences will become the benchmark as the market grows in sophistication. Combining Epoch's MGB Eclipse Probe Design Software with our microarray and DNA amplification technologies will provide our customers with significant advantages in a wide variety of research applications, including SNP characterization and detection of targets that are difficult to find with other chemistries."

Amersham Biosciences' sales force will offer MGB Eclipse catalogue and custom probe sets and will receive technical support and sales coordination in the initial stages of the relationship from Epoch. The company will also make the Epoch MGB Eclipse Design Software available from the Amersham Biosciences web site. Customers use this proprietary software to rapidly design and order MGB Eclipse probes and primers specifically for a sequence of interest. Epoch will be the sole manufacturer of the MGB Eclipse product line.

The MGB Eclipse Probe System

The MGB Eclipse Probe System is a probe and primer chemistry used for a variety of genetic analysis applications, such as gene expression profiling, SNP analysis, and pathogen detection. It is compatible with an existing installed base of real-time PCR instruments and reagent systems that have been widely adopted around the world and are considered the gold standard in genetic sequence detection. The MGB Eclipse Probe System incorporates Epoch's proprietary Minor Groove Binder (MGB™), modified nucleotide base, and specialized dye and quencher technologies, and sophisticated easy-to-use software to support custom design and ordering of unique probe and primer sequences specific to the needs of individual researchers. As a result, the MGB Eclipse Probe System not only offers a competitive alternative for routine sequence analysis, it often outperforms leading chemistries for more specialized applications such as splice variants and problematic SNPs.

About Epoch Biosciences

Epoch Biosciences develops proprietary products with commercial applications in the genomics and molecular diagnostics fields. Epoch's technology has numerous applications including the detection of inherited diseases and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to identify individuals at risk for disease or adverse drug reactions. The Company's chemical reagents enhance the performance of genetic analysis procedures, and are compatible with the majority of DNA analysis systems currently employed or under development for research and diagnostic uses. The Company licenses its chemistries to leading genomics companies for incorporation in their systems and distribution to end-users. Epoch also manufactures and sells specialty oligonucleotides and genetic detection systems employing its proprietary chemistry. Information about Epoch is available at www.epochbio.com.

About Amersham Biosciences

Amersham Biosciences, the life science business of Amersham plc (LSE: NYSE: OSE: AHM), is a world leader in developing and providing integrated systems and solutions for disease research, drug development and manufacture. Its systems are used to uncover the function of genes and proteins, for the discovery and development of drugs and for the manufacture of biopharmaceuticals. The customers for Amersham Biosciences' products and technologies are pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and research and academic institutions, principally in North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia. More information about Amersham Biosciences is available at www.amershambiosciences.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

Epoch Biosciences

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to the possibilities that third parties market superior products or develop technologies that reduce or eliminate the need for the Company's products, or that third parties assert proprietary rights that preclude Epoch or its distributors from marketing its products. These factors and others may cause actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results. Additional information about potential risk factors that could affect Epoch's business and financial results is included in Epoch's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2001 and in other reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements speak only as to the date of this release and Epoch undertakes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

MGB Eclipse and MGB are trademarks of Epoch Biosciences, Inc.

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