Genentech Named No. 1 Employer by Science Magazine

South San Francisco, Calif. -- November 25, 2004 -- Genentech, Inc. (NYSE:DNA) announced today that it has been named by Science magazine as "the top employer and most admired company in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries" for the third consecutive year. The honor is the result of a survey sponsored by Science magazine, along with the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and conducted by Senn-Delaney Culture Diagnostics and Measurement (SDCDM).

"Our culture is the key to our success and what attracts world class, dedicated, and innovative scientists to Genentech," said Richard Scheller, Ph.D., executive vice president, Research at Genentech. "As we grow, we strive to maintain the aspects of our culture that drive creativity and innovation. Scientific rigor drives our decisions and a desire to develop breakthrough medicines to help patients is our motivation."

The survey, involving Science readers and subscribers from the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, academia and consulting, was aimed at determining the companies in the life science industries with the best reputations as employers and why. Respondents were asked to rate companies on a list of specific attributes. Similar to the previous two years, Genentech was cited for the characteristics of: being an innovative leader in the industry, having a clear vision toward the future, and being a company where work and personal values are aligned.

Genentech was founded 28 years ago with a focus on rigorous, groundbreaking science and a philosophy of attracting talented people and giving them the conditions to succeed. The company's headquarters is home to the world's largest single-site facility for biotechnology research. Genentech scientists publish an average of 150+ papers a year and are among the top researchers in the world in terms of total citations. They have also secured more than 4,600 patents worldwide, with approximately 5,000 patent applications pending.

Genentech is a leading biotechnology company that discovers, develops, manufactures, and commercializes biotherapeutics for significant unmet medical needs. A considerable number of the currently approved biotechnology products originated from, or are based on, Genentech science. Genentech manufactures and commercializes multiple biotechnology products directly in the United States, and receives royalties or other income from companies that are licensed to market its products outside of the United States. The company has headquarters in South San Francisco, Calif., and is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DNA. For additional information about the company, please visit http://www.gene.com.

© 2004 Genentech, Inc.

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