Celera Corporation Separates from Applera Corporation
ALAMEDA, Calif., Jul 01, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) ----Celera Corporation (NASDAQ:CRA) today announced that it has completed its separation from Applera Corporation, and as an independent publicly traded company now holds the businesses, assets and liabilities previously attributed to the Celera Group. The company's shares are expected to be listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market when trading opens today at 9:30 a.m. E.D.T., under the ticker symbol, CRA.
"It's a new day for Celera as we emerge as an independent healthcare company focused on personalizing disease management," said Kathy Ordonez, Chief Executive Officer and President of Celera. "Our employees and our newly formed Board of Directors are energized about working together to build a successful future for our growing business, with its promising pipeline of new products and strong balance sheet."
The following individuals were previously named Directors for Celera:
-- Richard H. Ayers, retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Stanley Works, a tool and hardware manufacturer, and previously a director of Applera Corporation;
-- Jean-Luc Belingard, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ipsen S.A., a diversified French healthcare company, and previously a director of Applera Corporation;
-- Kathy Ordonez, Chief Executive Officer and President of Celera and previously President of the Celera Group and founder of Celera Diagnostics; and
-- Bennett M. Shapiro, M.D., a director of PureTech Ventures, a venture capital firm specializing in investments in novel therapeutics, medical devices, and research technologies, and previously an Executive Vice President of Merck & Co., Inc.
They are joined today by two additional Directors:
-- William G. Green, General Counsel and Chief Program Officer of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, a private philanthropic foundation, and previously Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Chiron Corporation, a biotechnology company; and
-- Gail K. Naughton, Ph.D., Dean of the College of Business Administration at San Diego State University and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Histogen, Inc., a regenerative medicine company.
The new Celera Board of Directors has elected William G. Green as its non-executive Chairman.
Celera's Board of Directors intends to align Celera's fiscal year with the calendar year. As part of this process, Celera expects to issue its outlook for the remaining six months of calendar 2008 when it reports earnings for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2008.
Ms. Ordonez added, "Celera has built the foundation necessary to deliver on its mission of personalizing disease management. At Berkeley HeartLab, for example, we're developing new tests that are based on Celera's discoveries. One of the first among these is a testing service for a gene variant called KIF6, which has been associated with risk for heart disease and statin benefit. We're very encouraged by the response to the KIF6 test in our ongoing trial market at BHL and look forward to the national launch of the test in the coming weeks."
"We are delighted to welcome Celera, one of today's most innovative healthcare companies, to the NASDAQ OMX family," said Bob Greifeld, Chief Executive Officer, NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. "As the world's largest exchange company and home to the biotech industry, we are thrilled to have Celera join our 3,900 listed companies."
This morning, Celera also launched its new website aimed at communicating the core focus of the company and providing updates regarding its key business segments. Please visit http://www.celera.com for more information.
About Celera
Celera is a healthcare business delivering personalized disease management through a combination of products and services incorporating proprietary discoveries. Berkeley HeartLab, a subsidiary of Celera, offers services to predict cardiovascular disease risk and optimize patient management. Celera also commercializes a wide range of molecular diagnostic products through its strategic alliance with Abbott and has licensed other relevant diagnostic technologies developed to provide personalized disease management in cancer and liver diseases. Information about Celera Corporation, including reports and other information filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, is available at http://www.celera.com.
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