Genome Therapeutics Delivers Important Genetic Data for

Identification of Cancer Genes / Cancer Research Centre at TheQueen's University of Belfast Utilizes GTC Sequencing Center WALTHAM, Mass. (PROTEXT) - Genome Therapeutics Corp. (Nasdaq:GENE), a pioneer in the field of genomics, today announced thatthe Company has completed a sequencing contract for researchersfrom a leading cancer research center in Ireland. Financial termswere not disclosed. As part of the contract, Genome Therapeutics sequenced severalregions of the human genome for the Cancer Research Centre at TheQueen's University of Belfast. Utilizing its proprietarysequencing techniques, Genome Therapeutics created libraries foreach clone; generated sequence reads that provided for greaterthan 6-fold coverage of the region; and provided preliminaryanalysis of the sequenced regions. "The sequence information generated at the GTC SequencingCenter has dramatically advanced our research project, moving uscloser to our goal of finding new molecular targets for thediscovery of novel cancer therapeutics," said Professor PatrickJohnston, Cancer Research Centre, The Queen's University ofBelfast. "The GTC Sequencing Center provides commercial, academic orgovernmental scientists with access to industrial scale DNAsequencing and sequence variation detection," said Lynn Doucette-Stamm, Ph.D., Director of Sequencing Operations for GenomeTherapeutics. "The Company's expertise in automation,bioinformatics and quality control ensures the highest qualityproduct for our customers, coupled with fast turnaround time andan efficient sample tracking process." "Strategically, we have established the GTC Sequencing Centerby leveraging one of our core assets in a way that will augmentrevenues from the Company's portfolio of pharmaceuticalalliances," said Robert J. Hennessey, Chairman, President and CEOof Genome Therapeutics. "We continue to explore additionalavenues for maintaining revenue growth." With more than 20,000 full-time and part-time degree studentsfrom throughout the world, The Queen's University of Belfast isone of the largest universities in the United Kingdom and is awell-established institution with a national and internationalacademic reputation. Genome Therapeutics Corp. is a leader in the field of genomics-- the identification and functional characterization of genes.Together with its strategic partners, Genome Therapeutics isusing genomic information to develop a new generation ofpharmaceuticals. For more information about contract sequencingat Genome Therapeutics, please go to www.genomecorp.com/programsor call toll free 877-203-GENE (4363). Statements in this press release that are not strictlyhistorical are "forward looking" statements as defined in thePrivate Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The actualresults may differ from those projected in the forward lookingstatement due to risks and uncertainties that exist in GenomeTherapeutics' operations and business environment, described morefully in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with theSecurities and Exchange Commission. ots Original Text Service:Genome Therapeutics Internet: http://www.newsaktuell.de Contact:Christopher Taylor, Director of Investor Relations of GenomeTherapeutics, 781-398-2466, or Doug MacDougall, Vice President ofFeinstein Kean Partners, 617-577-8110 Web site:http://www.genomecorp.com

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