TUCSON, Ariz., March 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Ventana Medical Systems, Inc.
(Nasdaq: VMSI); the leading company in supplying automated instrument-reagent
systems to histology labs, today announced that it added an additional claim
for patent infringement in its suit in the U.S. District Court in Tucson,
Arizona, against Cytologix Corporation (Cambridge, Massachusetts) for
infringement of its patent covering the liquid dispenser for dispensing liquid
reagent on samples for biological tests, such as immunoassays.
    Ventana believes that Cytologix's liquid reagent dispensers infringe its
U.S. Patent Number 5,232,664, issued on August 3, 1993.  The suit seeks
unspecified damages, as well as a permanent injunction against Cytologix for
the manufacture and sale of its dispensers.  Chris Gleeson, President and CEO
of Ventana, stated, "We have reviewed the scope and strength of our patent and
the approach used by Cytologix to dispense liquid reagent.  Based on this
review, we feel confident that Cytologix's product infringes Ventana's
patent."
    This claim adds to the patent infringement claim filed last December by
Ventana against Cytologix over the infringement of its U.S. Patent Number
5,344,439 by Cytologix's Artisan(TM) Staining System.  Ventana filed suit in
the U.S. District Court in Tucson, Arizona, against Cytologix for infringement
of its patent covering methods and systems for controlling and scheduling of
multiple biological sample assays in an automated instrument.

    Safe Harbor Statement:  Statements in this press release which are not
strictly historical are "forward-looking" statements that are made pursuant to
the Safe Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995.  Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, which may
cause the company's actual results in the future to differ materially from the
expected results.  The risks and uncertainties that may affect the results of
the company's business may include general economic conditions, market
acceptance of new automated histology products, continued success in asset
management and other factors that are described in the company's specific
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

    Ventana develops, manufactures and markets instrument/reagent systems that
automate tissue preparation and slide staining in histology laboratories
worldwide.  Ventana's systems are important tools used in the diagnosis and
treatment of cancer and infectious diseases.
    For more information on Ventana Medical Systems, Inc. via facsimile at no
additional cost, simply dial 1-800-PRO-INFO and enter the stock symbol "VMSI."

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