Patent Team, Led By John W. Ryan, Joins Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering

Washington, D.C. -- August 3, 2000 -- Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering announced today that John W. Ryan has joined the Firm as a partner resident in the Firm's Washington, D.C. office. Mr. Ryan, formerly co-chairman of Dorsey & Whitney's Patent Practice Group, will be joined by a team of experienced patent lawyers. Ryan and his team will bring a new dimension to WCP's substantial expertise in intellectual property matters.

William J. Perlstein, WCP's managing partner commented: "John's practice in many ways completes our IP presence -- adding patent expertise to our already extensive intellectual property practice, which includes substantial work in e-commerce, privacy, financial products, copyright and trademark matters. We also see John and his team helping to support our cross-border, national, and regional corporate practice and our upcoming expansion in Northern Virginia."

Ryan, who previously served as Vice President and Chief Patent Counsel for Igen International, Inc., of Gaithersburg, MD, has practiced in all areas of intellectual property law, with a particular emphasis on chemical and biotechnology patent prosecution, counseling, and licensing. His experience also includes: opinion and transactional work for start-up biotech, biopharmaceutical, and pharmaceutical companies; patent validity and infringement analysis; and European Patent Office opposition procedures.

For further information, please contact William J. Perlstein at 202-663-6274.

Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering is an international law firm with offices in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, New York, Brussels, London, and Berlin. The Firm has more than 350 lawyers engaged in a broad practice spanning the full range of corporate matters, regulatory work, high-stakes litigation, cross-border transactions, and international arbitration matters. The Firm will open an office in Tysons Corner in the Fall 2000.

This memorandum is for general purposes only and does not represent our legal advice as to any particular set of facts, nor does this memorandum represent any undertaking to keep recipients advised as to all relevant legal developments