Licensing Deal

Proteome Sciences PLC
20 December 2002

                                 PRESS RELEASE



         Proteome Sciences Collaboration and Licensing Deal for Stroke




20th December, 2002





Proteome Sciences plc (Proteome Sciences) is pleased to announce that it has
entered into a major collaboration and licensing agreement in the field of
stroke with Biosite Incorporated (Nasdaq:BSTE.)  This is a key milestone in the
validation and utility of Proteome Sciences' proteomics technology and grants
rights to  Biosite to  develop and commercialise assays to proprietary Proteome
Sciences biomarkers.



This important collaboration adds substantial value to the research Proteome
Sciences has conducted on stroke by working with Biosite, a company experienced
in developing diagnostic assays and obtaining regulatory approval.  Under the
terms of the deal, Proteome Sciences will receive payments and royalties if
development milestones are met and products are commercialised. Biosite receives
certain worldwide rights to develop assays to proprietary Proteome Sciences
biomarkers for stroke.



Commenting, Christopher Pearce, Chief Executive of Proteome Sciences said:



'We are delighted with the terms of the Agreement, which reflect the value we
place on our technology and we look forward to actively exploiting the
considerable opportunity within the stroke market.  The collaboration and
licensing agreement with Biosite is a major strategic milestone in Proteome
Sciences' corporate development and an endorsement of our proteomics technology.
  We are particularly pleased that this first collaboration and licensing
agreement from our research programme targets stroke, a major area of unmet need
across the world, in which a blood test can make such a big impact.



'We continue to make excellent progress with negotiations relating to the
commercialisation of other markers in Proteome Science's portfolio and expect to
make further announcement in due course.'

Commenting, Kim Blickenstaff, President and Chief Executive Officer said:



'Stroke is a significant disease category and we are delighted to be working
with Proteome Sciences in this important area.'



Biosite is a research-based diagnostics company dedicated to the discovery and
development of novel protein-based tests that improve a physician's ability to
diagnose disease.  Biosite's products are aimed primarily at the diagnosis of
life-threatening diseases, where rapid diagnosis may positively impact medical
decisions, improve the quality of patient care and contribute to cost-effective
medical treatment. Biosite's Triage(R) brand rapid diagnostic tests are used in
approximately 50 percent of U.S. hospitals and in approximately 40 international
markets



The news today follows an announcement made by Proteome Sciences in May of this
year, which disclosed the identification of novel biomarkers in blood to
diagnose stroke and the ability to differentiate between stroke and heart
attack.



Stroke is a global problem and one of the leading causes of death, accounting
for 167,000 deaths annually in the USA, rating it the 3rd highest cause of death
(CDC Statistics) and each year approximately 600,000 Americans have new or
recurrent strokes.  Effective treatment for stroke requires rapid diagnosis and
implementation of appropriate therapy, and there is currently no means of rapid
diagnosis of stroke.





                                                            ENDS



For further information please contact:



Proteome Sciences plc                  Tel: [phone]
Christopher Pearce, Chief Executive    e-mail: [e-mail]
                                       www.proteome.co.uk

James Green, Commercial Director       Tel: [phone]
                                       Email: [e-mail]
                                       www.proteome.co.uk


Public Relations for Proteome Sciences
Ikon Associates
Adrian Shaw                            Tel: [phone]
                                       Mobile: + 44(0) 797 9900733
                                       e-mail: [e-mail]


Biosite Incorporated                   Tel: [phone] x3187
Nadine Padilla, Investor Relations     e-mail: [e-mail]
                                       www.biosite.com



Note to Editors



Proteome Sciences plc ('Proteome Sciences') applies high throughput combined
with high sensitivity proteomics to identify and characterise differential
protein expression in diseases for diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic
applications.  It has to date developed sensitive blood assays for stroke,
nvCJD, BSE and solid organ transplantation.



The main focus of its research currently addresses neurological,
neurodegenerative, diabetes/obesity, oncology and cardiovascular conditions.
Commercialisation of these programmes will be effected through strategic
alliances and licensing agreements.



Proteome Sciences is headquartered in Cobham, Surrey in the UK and has
laboratories at Kings College Hospital, London and in Frankfurt. It employs 40
full time scientists in addition to its corporate and business development
staff. The Company has been listed on the Alternative Investment Market since
1994.



Proteome Sciences is also the largest shareholder in two US companies:



•         Intronn Inc., (31% interest) has developed SMaRTTM, a technology able
to modify gene expression at the mRNA level; and

•         Veri-Q Inc., (55 % interest) has synthetic oligonucleotide and quality
control marker technologies.



Biosite Incorporated

A leader in the drive to advance diagnosis, Biosite Incorporated is a
research-based company dedicated to the discovery and development of novel
protein-based diagnostic tests that improve a physician's ability to diagnose
debilitating and life-threatening diseases.  Biosite combines integrated
discovery and diagnostics businesses to access proteomics research, identify
proteins with high diagnostic utility, develop and commercialize products and
educate the medical community on new diagnostic approaches that improve health
care outcomes.  Biosite's Triage(R) brand rapid diagnostic tests are used in
approximately 50 percent of U.S. hospitals and in approximately 40 international
markets.  Information on Biosite can be found at www.biosite.com.



Except for the historical information presented herein, matters discussed in
this press release are forward-looking statements that are subject to certain
risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially
from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by
such statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements
preceded by, followed by, or that include the words 'believes'; 'anticipates'; '
plans'; 'expects'; 'estimates'; or similar statements are forward-looking
statements.  Risks and uncertainties include risks associated with product
discovery, development and commercialization as well as risks detailed from time
to time in each company's public disclosure filings with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC), including Biosite Incorporated's Annual Reports on
Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2001 and subsequent Forms 10-Q.
Copies of each company's respective public disclosure filings are available from
each company's investor relations department. There can be no assurance that
such development efforts will succeed, that such products will receive required
regulatory clearance or that, even if such regulatory clearance were received,
such products would ultimately achieve commercial success.







                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange