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Aperio And Bacus Settle Patent Litigation

Aperio Technologies Secures Broad License to Virtual Microscopy Patents from Bacus Laboratories

Vista, CA – July 11, 2005 – Aperio Technologies, the leading provider of high-throughput scanners and related software in the field of digital microscope slide imaging (virtual microscopy) announced today that it has settled its patent litigation with Bacus Laboratories. The settlement provides Aperio with licenses to Bacus' extensive portfolio of virtual microscopy patents, as well as immunity from future patent infringement litigation under the licensed patents. The terms and conditions of the settlement are confidential.

"This settlement represents an equitable resolution for both parties. Aperio secures a license to the rich virtual microscopy patent portfolio of Bacus Laboratories, while Bacus benefits from Aperio's considerable traction in the market," said Dirk Soenksen, Aperio's chief executive officer. "The patents we have licensed from Bacus-when combined with Aperio's issued and pending patents on line-scanning, digital slide viewing and entire-slide analysis-strengthen our already formidable patent position in virtual microscopy. We are confident that we now have the intellectual property rights required to freely execute our business objectives. In addition, our distributors, resellers, OEMs and customers can rest assured that products provided by Aperio are licensed under patents that we believe are essential for anyone wishing to operate in the virtual microscopy field."

"We are pleased that Aperio recognized the value of the Bacus patents and that a settlement could be reached," stated James W. Bacus, President of Bacus Laboratories, Inc. "Bacus Laboratories has a long history of developing novel scanning and viewing products for virtual microscopy and our broad patent portfolio reflects our leadership position in this industry."

Virtual microscopy is the practice of converting entire glass microscope slides to high resolution digital slides-entire-slide images that can be remotely viewed, quantitatively analyzed, and readily annotated, shared and managed, all without a traditional microscope. Aperio's line of ScanScope Systems delivers automated high-speed digital slide creation, management, and analysis for pathology. Archival and retrieval, education, quality assurance, frozen section interpretation, secondary consultations, and entire-slide image analysis are all improved with the ScanScope System.

About Aperio

Aperio Technologies is a worldwide leader in virtual microscopy. Our award-winning ScanScope® scanners and Digital Slide Information Management Software deliver integrated digital slide creation, viewing, management, and analysis capabilities to pathologists. Applications include education, tissue microarrays, toxicology pathology, telepathology, image analysis and workflow systems (PACS). Our freely downloadable ImageScope™ viewer makes digital slides accessible anywhere, anytime. With headquarters in Vista, California, Aperio serves a global pathology market in clinical, research, and education. For more information, or to view a gallery of digital slides created by ScanScope Systems, please visit www.aperio.com.

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