SERO Serologicals (MM)

Serologicals Corporation (NASDAQ: SERO) announced today a definitive agreement to acquire Cytomyx Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Cytomyx Holdings Plc (AIM: CYX). Based in Cambridge, U.K., Cytomyx Ltd. is a leading provider of ion channel cell lines and drug discovery services. With 23 distinct ion channel cell lines commercially available, and more in its pipeline, Cytomyx Ltd. offers the largest portfolio of distinct ion channel cell lines in the marketplace today. Biopharma customers have been keenly interested in ion channels for two key reasons. First, ion channels are implicated in a variety of pathologies, including cardiac disease, hypertension, epilepsy, cystic fibrosis and pain. Second, ion channels play a role in cardiac arrhythmia. A specific ion channel, human ERG (hERG), has been associated with the toxicity of several pharmaceutical drugs. As a result, the FDA requires that all compounds entering clinical development are tested for activity against hERG. The acquisition of Cytomyx Ltd. will enable Serologicals to provide not only kinase screening services to Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology companies but also test compounds for hERG liabilities and activity against other ion channels associated with cardiac safety. These cardiac safety tests will offer important information to Upstate's customers about the safety of their compounds moving forward through clinical trials. "We are excited to bring the Cytomyx Ltd. expertise into our company," said David A. Dodd, President and CEO of Serologicals. "We anticipate that this acquisition will further strengthen our capabilities within the drug discovery market by enabling our Research segment to offer Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology companies the largest portfolio of ion channel cell lines commercially available today. Through this acquisition, our Drug Discovery business will expand their service offerings to include GPCRs, kinases, and ion channels, the top three most important target classes today." The acquisition of Cytomyx Ltd. is expected to be slightly accretive in fiscal year 2006. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions. Serologicals expects the acquisition to be consummated during the first quarter of 2006. Serologicals Corporation (NASDAQ: SERO), headquartered in Atlanta, GA., is a global leader in developing and commercializing consumable biological products, enabling technologies and services in support of biological research, drug discovery, and the bioprocessing of life-enhancing products. Our customers include researchers at major life science companies and leading research institutions involved in key disciplines, such as neurology, oncology, hematology, immunology, cardiology, proteomics, infectious diseases, cell signaling and stem cell research. In addition, Serologicals is the world's leading provider of monoclonal antibodies for the blood typing industry. Serologicals employs a total of more than 1,000 people worldwide in three Serologicals' companies: Chemicon International, headquartered in Temecula, California, Upstate Group, LLC, headquartered in Charlottesville, Virginia and Celliance Corporation, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. For more information, please visit our website: www.serologicals.com.