Monday April 23, 2001

COMPANY PRESS RELEASE

Genzyme Corporation Purchases Transgenomic's WAVE® System

SAN JOSE, Calif. and OMAHA, Neb., April 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Transgenomic, Inc. (Nasdaq: TBIO) announced today that Genzyme Corporation has purchased the WAVE® System as part of an ongoing technology development program for genetic applications. Genzyme is a biotechnology company that develops and markets innovative products and services for medical diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical needs. Genzyme is one of the world's leading providers of genetic testing for cystic fibrosis.

According to Associate Scientific Director for Genetics Applications at Genzyme, Dr. Glenn Miller, "Our group provides genomics support for research and development throughout the company. The WAVE System is a powerful tool for discovery of genetic mutations, which are the basis of hereditary diseases such as lysosomal storage disorders and many types of cancer."

Transgenomic Chief Executive Officer, Collin D'Silva, commented, "The ongoing challenge for human genome research is to understand the relationship between genetic mutations and diseases such as cancer. The WAVE System has been widely recognized as one of the fastest, most sensitive and cost-effective tools for genetic analysis." D'Silva went on to say, "We are excited that Genzyme, a world leader in biotechnology, has integrated our technology into their research and development. With more than 500 placements in medical research institutions and biotechnology companies worldwide, the WAVE System is an established technology leader."

About Transgenomic

Transgenomic is a leading provider of advanced research tools to the genomics research community and biopharmaceutical industry worldwide. Transgenomic's WAVE Systems enable researchers to discover and understand variation in the human genetic code, or genome, in order to accelerate and improve drug discovery and medical diagnostic development. The WAVE System allows researchers to analyze both known and unknown genetic mutations faster, with more accuracy and at a lower cost than other commercially available techniques.

As efforts to map and sequence the human genome reach completion, understanding variations in the genetic sequence, or mutation analysis, is becoming the vital link to development of new diagnostic and therapeutic products. Discovering the incidence of mutations in the genome enables statistical correlation with the occurrence of diseases. The WAVE System can detect these genetic mutations without previous knowledge of their existence or the gene sequence. The WAVE System is a powerful technology for performing the experiments necessary to discover genetic mutations and correlate the mutations to specific traits or diseases.

Forward Looking Statement

This press release may contain forward-looking statements that reflect management's current views and estimates of future economic circumstances, industry conditions, company performance and financial results. Such statements are subject to certain factors, risks and uncertainties described from time to time in Transgenomic, Inc.'s reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any change in such factors, risks and uncertainties may cause the actual results, events and performance to differ materially from those referred to in such statements. Accordingly, the Company claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 with respect to all statements contained in this press release.

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