Strategic Diagnostics, Inc. today announced it has entered into a licensing agreement with
Hoechst Schering AgrEvo GmbH, a global leader in the development of genetically engineered
crops and a supplier of genetically modified seeds. AgrEvo has non-exclusively licensed SDI in
Europe to use the PAT protein for the development of test kits that allow to detect the presence
of the protein in food and food ingredients.

This agreement will assist SDI in the quick development and marketing of multiple protein-based
test platforms for food ingredients. In particular, SDI will now be able to determine the presence
of food ingredients directly related to AgrEvo's Liberty Link® trait. Companies in the food
distribution supply chain have now the opportunity to use these test kits to determine whether
labeling according to the European Novel Food regulation (97/258/EC) is required.

A multi-trait test kit including AgrEvo's Liberty Link® trait will complement SDI's Soya Test kits
that were placed on the market in March. The Soya Test Kits have already been determined to
be a valuable tool for verifying compliance with the GMO food labeling regulations.

According to Richard C. Birkmeyer, President and CEO of SDI, "The cooperative effort between the developers of these new agricultural products, the EU regulatory bodies, the leading food companies and SDI will provide a useful tool to determine when labeling should occur, thus giving consumers a choice in purchasing their food products. GMO food labeling regulation represents an opportunity for SDI's immunoassay-based testing technology, and create a market position as a leading developer and supplier of rapid tests for genetically engineered traits used in new crop breeding and seed quality control.''

Strategic Diagnostics is the leading provider of biotechnology-based diagnostic tests for a broad
range of commercial applications. Through its antibody business, Strategic Diagnostics also
provides antibody and immunoreagent research and development services. Strategic Diagnostics' test kits are produced in a variety of formats suitable for field and laboratory use, offering advantages of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, portability, and rapid response.

AgrEvo is a global player in Biotechnology, Seeds, Crop Protection and Environmental Health.
The company markets a wide range of products for enhancing crop production, together with applications for urban pest control. AgrEvo operates in more than 70 countries with approx. 8600 employees. Sales for 1998 were DM 4,2 billion. In December, 1998 Hoechst AG and Rhone-Poulenc SA announced their intention together with Schering AG to merge their agricultural interests to form Aventis CropScience.

Company news release
N1851