Maybe your investment in the parent will look better to you if sales continue to expand like this.  We can hope.
  Visible Genetics Reports 1996 Fourth Quarter And Year-End Financial Results 
      TORONTO, Feb. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Visible Genetics Inc. (VGI, Nasdaq: VGINF), a provider of high performance automated DNA sequencing systems for clinical applications, today reported its financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 1996.     VGI reported revenues of $824,000 for the fourth quarter of 1996 and $978,000 for the year ended December 31, 1996, compared to zero revenues in 1995.  The net loss was $1.5 million or $0.21 per share for the fourth quarter of 1996, compared to a net loss of $0.8 million or $0.l9 per share for the same period last year.  For the year ended December 31, 1996, the company reported a net loss of $5.2 million or $0.89 per share, compared to $2.7 million or $0.65 per share for 1995.  The increase in the net loss was due primarily to start-up costs for the company's commercial operations, including the initial manufacturing and sales of its OpenGene(TM) DNA sequencing systems.  Revenues exclude net interest earned of $0.5 million.  Total operating expense for the year was $6.1 million compared to $2.7 million in 1995. (All amounts are in United States dollars.)     "We are pleased with our early commercial and marketing successes," said John K. Stevens, president and chief executive officer.  "These include the establishment of manufacturing operations and the sales of our first OpenGene systems, as well as the successful completion of an initial public offering. VGI ended the year in a strong financial position, with $18.9 million of cash and marketable securities on hand."     Visible Genetics Inc. develops, manufactures and markets high performance automated DNA sequencing systems for the clinical analysis of genes linked to disease.  The company's OpenGene system employs stratified DNA testing to significantly reduce the time and cost involved in finding and identifying disease-causing genetic mutations.
                              VISIBLE GENETICS INC.                           (In United States dollars)                      Statements of Operations and Deficit
                                                       Year ended December 31                                                 1994        1995       1996
      Sales                                      $ --        $  --     $978,139     Cost of sales                                --           --      561,021     Gross margin                                 --           --      417,118
      Expenses:     Pre-production plant costs                   --           --      434,659     Sales, general and administrative       449,694    1,475,878    3,377,356     Research and development                482,946    1,241,181    2,309,686
      Total                                   932,640    2,717,059    6,121,701
      Loss from operations before interest   (932,640)  (2,717,059)  (5,704,583)
      Interest income                           9,252       12,105      608,858     Interest expense                             --      (19,444)     (68,959)
      Net loss for the year                $(923,388)  $(2,724,398) $(5,164,684)
      Weighted average number of      common shares outstanding           2,902,735     4,181,599    5,791,367     Net loss per common share               $(0.32)       $(0.65)      $(0.89)
                              VISIBLE GENETICS INC.                                 Balance Sheets
                                                                December 31                                                          1995           1996
      Assets
      Current assets      Cash and cash equivalents                      $403,438     $8,826,602      Marketable securities                                --     10,100,988      Trade receivables                                    --        851,388      Other receivables                                49,709        104,011      Prepaids and deposits                            94,196        125,478      Inventory                                        15,824        345,192      Refundable investment tax credits               764,400        496,993
      Total current assets                           1,327,567     20,850,652
      Fixed assets                                     281,085        867,278     Patents and licenses                             182,345        887,716
     Total                                          $1,790,997    $22,6O5,646
      Liabilities
      Current liabilities      Accounts payable                               $273,054       $668,289      Accrued liabilities                             118,904        102,371      Note payable                                    500,000             --      Obligation under capital lease                   17,478         18,949
      Total current liabilities                        909,436        789,609
      Obligation under capital lease                    40,233         20,685
      Total                                            949,669        810,294
      Shareholders' Equity
      Share capital                                  4,312,262     30,339,955     Other equity                                     208,932        299,947     Deficit                                       (3,679,866)    (8,844,550)
                                                       841,328     21,795,352     Total                                         $1,790,997    $22,605,646
                              VISIBLE GENETICS INC.                  Statements Of Changes In Financial Position
                                                     Year ended December 31                                             1994          1995           1996     Cash provided by (used in)     Operating activities     Net loss for the year              $(923,388)  $(2,724,398)   $(5,164,684)
      Add: Items not involving cash-      Depreciation and amortization         24,307        84,351       250,436      Deferred compensation costs       related to shares and options       105,105       242,991       339,841      Increase (decrease) from changes in-       Trade receivables                        --            --      (851,388)       Other receivables                   (23,593)      (17,908)      (54,302)       Prepaids and deposits              (173,309)       79,112       (31,282)       Inventory                                --       (15,824)     (329,368)       Refundable investment tax credits  (220,500)     (543,900)      267,407       Accounts payable                     10,575        98,758       395,235       Accrued liabilities                  98,230       110,541       (16,533)         Total                          (1,102,573)   (2,686,277)   (5,194,638)
      Financing activities     Common shares issued,      net of expenses                    1,913,969     2,398,146   26,027,693     Receipt of bridge financing                --            --    1,250,000     Repayment of bridge financing              --            --   (1,250,000)     Note payable                               --       500,000     (500,000)     Other equity issuances                  8,526      (147,689)      74,579     Obligation under capital lease             --        56,026      (18,077)       Total                             1,922,495     2,806,483   25,584,195
      Investing activities     Marketable securities                      --            --  (10,100,988)     Fixed assets                         (113,648)     (222,418)    (805,880)     Patents and licenses                  (53,645)     (147,126)    (736,120)     Loan to officer to purchase shares         --            --     (323,405)       Total                              (167,293)     (369,544) (11,966,393)     Increase (decrease) in cash      during the year                      652,629      (249,338)   8,423,164     Cash, beginning of year                   147       652,776      403,438     Cash, end of year                    $652,776      $403,438   $8,826,602
  SOURCE  Visible Genetics Inc.
  CONTACT: John Stevens, Chief Executive Officer, 416-813-3242, or Jeffrey Sherman,  Chief Financial Officer, 416-813-3266, both of Visible Genetics Inc. |