Re Contract

RNS Number:0272J
Biotrace International PLC
21 March 2003


For Immediate Release:                                      07:00, 21 March 2003


                           BIOTRACE INTERNATIONAL PLC

                           ANNOUNCES DEFENCE CONTRACT 


Biotrace International Plc ('Biotrace', the "Company" or the "Group"), a leading
manufacturer and provider of specialised products and services for microbiology
and life sciences, today announces that it has received a defence order, worth
#1.35 million, to supply biological weapon detection reagents.

The specialist reagents are to be supplied over the next six months by Biotrace
Limited and the Group's joint venture company Lucigen Ltd.  Both companies have
experienced strong defence sales in the year to date, which will be further
boosted by this significant exceptional contract.

Biotrace's Chief Executive Officer, Ian Johnson, commenting on this order, said:

"With this most recent order, it is likely that we will exceed current market
forecasts for defence sales in 2003.  At this stage, however, it is too early to
speculate on the impact these exceptional defence sales will have on the Group's
year end figures.

"We will update the market on our progress when the outlook for 2003 becomes
clearer."

                                    - ENDS -


For further information:

Biotrace International                               Tel: [phone]
Ian Johnson, Chief Executive Officer
Peter Morgan, Finance Director

Buchanan Communications                              Tel: [phone]
Nicola How / Louise Bolton


Biotrace International Plc is a leading manufacturer and provider of specialised
products and services for microbiology and life sciences to industrial,
healthcare and defence markets.  Biotrace is the acknowledged leader in rapid
hygiene testing and the continuous real-time detection of airborne biological
weapons.

Many of the world's leading food manufacturers and catering companies, including
19 out of the top 20 world food groups now rely on Biotrace as an essential part
of their quality procedures. Industrial customers include many of the world's
largest water treatment chemical multi-nationals.  Biotrace also supplies highly
specialised workstations to hospitals, public health laboratories and medical
research institutes for the examination of hazardous micro-organisms and
diseases. A significant part of the Company's business is the manufacture and
supply of equipment and reagents to the UK MoD for the detection of biological
weapons.

Formed in 1988 and floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1993, Biotrace
intends to continue to broaden its business base through organic growth and
acquisition of products and technologies to become a 'one stop shop' for its
large and growing customer base.

Lucigen Limited was established in July 2001 as a 50:50 joint venture between
Biotrace International Plc and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
(Dstl).  Based in Porton Down, Salisbury, Lucigen specialises in the manufacture
of defence critical reagents and other specialised bio chemicals.


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

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