TET SYSTEMS HOLDING, HEIDELBERG, AND ABBOTT LABORATORIES AGREE ON TRANSFER OF RIGHTS TO PATENT PORTFOLIO OF TET TECHNOLOGY FOR GENE REGULATION

HEIDELBERG, Germany – TET Systems Holding GmbH announced today that Abbott Laboratories has transferred back the rights to key patents covering the control of gene expression by tetracycline-inducible gene control elements to TET Systems Holding. The TET gene control elements allow genes to be turned on or off, either in cultured cells or in whole organisms such as yeast, plants and mammals, by exposure to the common antibiotic tetracycline. TET Systems Holding, a company founded by the TET inventors to further develop and market the TET technology, will market the portfolio of TET Technology patents worldwide, and will provide technical support to licensees of the TET Technology to help promote successful new product development.

Under the terms of the agreement, Abbott will retain the rights to use the patents and will gain access to all TET technology improvements acquired by TET Systems Holding. TET Systems Holding gains the rights to worldwide patents and marketing of core TET technology previously controlled by Abbott. The transfer of patent and marketing rights from Abbott to TET Systems Holding GmbH was effective Jan. 1, 2004.

About TET Systems Holding GmbH & Co. KG
TET Systems Holding, founded in Heidelberg by Professor Hermann Bujard and the co-inventors of the TET gene control technology and of recent improved TET gene control elements, is a new company focused on marketing, supporting, and further developing TET technology. "TET Systems Holding will serve the needs of licensees to successfully apply the existing TET Technology, and to adapt recent improved TET inventions for both current and future applications," said Prof. Bujard, President of TET Holding GmbH & Co. KG. "We are strongly committed to further developing TET technology in order to maintain its position as the leading gene regulation technology for life science research and development, commercial and production applications."

Updated information on TET Systems Holding, will be available soon at www.tet-systems.com