Zeneca announced today that it will commit $82.5 million to a ten-year research program in an alliance with the John Innes Centre and Sainsbury Laboratory.

The program, which starts immediately, will explore advanced genomic techniques for the development of improved wheat varieties, and will be supported by a new laboratory on the campus of the John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK. The building, which will be completed in 2000, will house some 30 Zeneca scientists and represents the first such private investment in cereals at the John Innes Centre.

The focus of the science will be the use of genomic information to improve the quality, yield and
disease resistance of wheat for worldwide markets. Wheat is one of the world's major cereals, with global production in 1996 of 579 million tonnes. The collaboration includes a special fund to support further advanced research in the laboratories of the John Innes Centre and Sainsbury Laboratory, in conjunction with Plant Bioscience Limited.

This venture further strengthens Zeneca's research program into biotechnology-based solutions and builds upon last year's acquisition of the biotechnology company, Mogen, which has leading
positions in genetic modification for fungal and nematode resistance. With the introduction and
outstanding success of Zeneca's new broad spectrum fungicide, "Amistar" (ABOUND® and
QUADRIS® in the US), which is now registered in 43 countries on 30 crops, the company is
developing a world leading position in fungal control.

The alliance complements Zeneca's strong commercial position in wheat through its joint venture
links with Advanta, the world's fifth largest seed company, which has a pan-European breeding
program in barley and wheat and a substantial share of many markets. The relationship also allows the development of existing collaborations between John Innes and Zeneca on starch biochemistry.

Dr. David Evans, Research and Development Director, Zeneca Agrochemicals, said, "This research alliance brings together world class research expertise in wheat with Zeneca's global strengths in agriculture. Cereals are a key component of our long term strategy to provide the farmer, food and feed industries with the innovative products they require for the next century.

"The alliance is a major initiative and is a good example of the private and public sector collaborating in an exciting area of research. The investment in the new laboratory will reinforce the UK's science base while Zeneca has the rights to develop and market products from the research."

Professor Dick Flavell, Director of the John Innes Centre, said, "This collaboration brings together
three of Britain's world class players with complementary strengths in research and development for world agriculture and cereal products. It is a further confirmation of the strength of the UK in plant science."

Zeneca Agrochemicals is a business unit of Zeneca Group PLC (NYSE:ZEN), a major $8.6 billion
international life science business engaged in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of ethical (prescription) pharmaceuticals, agricultural and specialty chemical products, and the supply of healthcare services. It is the third largest supplier to the international market with sales in 1997 of £1.63 billion. Zeneca introduced tomato puree, the UK's first genetically modified product in February 1996. The puree is clearly labeled as a genetically modified product and is a commercial success.

John Innes Centre (JIC, Norwich, UK) is an independent research center for plant and microbial
sciences. JIC has over 850 staff and students. JIC carries out high quality fundamental, strategic and applied research to understand how plants and microbes work at the molecular, cellular and genetic levels.

The JIC also trains scientists and students, collaborates with many other research laboratories and communicates its science to end-users and the general public. The JIC is grant aided by the
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.

Sainsbury Laboratory is an independent academic research laboratory funded primarily by the
Gatsby Charitable Foundation. The laboratory is located at the John Innes Centre and is a
world-leading laboratory for research into the molecular basis of plant disease resistance.

Plant Bioscience Limited is an independent technology interaction and intellectual property
management company established in 1994. The company is jointly and equally owned by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation and the John Innes Centre.

Plant Bioscience Limited is committed to promote the commercial development and exploitation of research results for public use and benefit while generating income to finance its operations and to support the research at the institutes that it serves.

Advanta is a global seeds business owned by Zeneca and Cosun (The Netherlands). Advanta is
based at Kapelle and has annual sales of $495 million.

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