RUDOLPH AND SLETTEN COMPLETES CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS AND RESEARCH LABS FOR CELL GENESYS

 FOSTER CITY, CA (June 2 , 2003)—Rudolph and Sletten General Contractors today announced completion of the buildout for the new corporate headquarters and research laboratories for Cell Genesys (CEGE) in South San Francisco. Cell Genesys is a leader in the development of innovative gene therapy technologies to treat cancer. The new $32 million, 154,000 square foot building opened in April, 2003, and houses more than 20 labs, as well as offices and conference space.

Rudolph and Sletten was selected for the project because of its acknowledged expertise in building state of the art biotech and pharmaceutical manufacturing and research facilities. For over four decades, the company has constructed specialized facilities for many biotech industry leaders, including ALZA, Chiron, Genentech, and Johnson & Johnson. Recently completed projects include Raven biotechnologies, inc. headquarters facility in South San Francisco, Palo Alto tenant improvements for Telik, Inc., ALZA M-12 Pilot Plant in Mountain View, and the Broad Center for the Biological Sciences at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

Rudolph and Sletten’s scope of work for Cell Genesys included oversight of the year long tenant improvement buildout. The two-story structure consists of two “L” shaped wings devoted to cancer research and development labs and offices, connected by a circular area that contains a 5,000 square foot lobby and central atrium.

Rudolph and Sletten’s expertise in biotechnology means that each job follows rigorous construction protocols without risk to schedule or budget. “Rudolph and Sletten brings vast experience to the project in biotech and laboratory development and facilities,” said John Kavanaugh, Principal of Kavanaugh associates, the Project Manager for Cell Genesys. “Rudolph and Sletten does an excellent job in terms of project coordination, trouble shooting and problem solving. Their project managers and project engineers were on top of the job.”

Dowler-Gruman Architects of Mountain View designed the structure to have many unique features and finishes. Many of the walls and hallways are serpentine, curved to flow in the same way that arteries run through the human body. The facility is designed with large window spaces throughout, including the lab areas, in order to promote a feeling of openness and interaction between people.

Construction Overview
Highlights of Rudolph and Sletten’s work for the facility include:

• Construction of over 20 wet and dry labs, including cell culture labs, tissue culture labs, and pilot-vector labs. Lab space totaled some 60,000 square feet.
• Oversight of over $1.6 million in lab case work for the wet labs
• Completion of a large mock-up of one of the labs before completion of the lab buildout, including the laboratory case work and utility chase, in order to ensure successful installation.
• Oversight of the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing subcontractors by in-house MEP coordinators from Rudolph and Sletten
• Construction of four “oxygen bars” that function as meeting and coffee break areas. The spaces contain a number of special features, including custom made grill wood ceilings. Opaque Imago display panels form a semicircular wall within each oxygen bar and are used for writing or brainstorming sessions. Columns in the rooms are covered with a reflective aluminum material that is brushed with a copper color lacquer finish to produce a cloud like effect.
• Coordination with subcontractors and manufacturers to ensure that all the special finishes and materials were properly installed. Special finishes included Italian plaster on the walls, a Marmoleum floor covering and a NEWMAT stretched vinyl membrane ceiling in the lobby area made from fabric. The fabric has acoustical insulation behind it, so sound travels through it and then gets absorbed, resulting in a higher acoustical rating.

“One of the things that we are very good at is to be flexible to the changing needs of the owner,” said Rick Millitello, Vice President and Project Executive for Rudolph and Sletten. “Because of our extensive biotech experience, we were able to provide input on how certain design decisions would affect the schedule and the costs. Despite a number of modifications and complex coordination with subcontractors, we were able to bring the project in on schedule and under budget.”

About Rudolph and Sletten Inc.
Rudolph and Sletten (www.rsconstruction.com) is one of the leading general contracting firms on the West Coast. As a pace setter in the construction industry, Rudolph and Sletten has provided quality-oriented general contracting and construction management services for over four decades. Rudolph and Sletten’s expert professionals manage each job comprehensively, from site selection and preconstruction services through project completion. With its corporate headquarters in Foster City, the company also has regional offices in Roseville, Irvine, and San Diego, California.

Rudolph and Sletten’s building expertise includes virtually all types of projects with an emphasis on those markets where their technical expertise and quality excel: corporate campuses and office buildings, biotechnology and pharmaceutical research and manufacturing, health care, electronics, semiconductor, and high-tech research. Other areas of expertise include parking structures, educational institutions, housing, public attraction, and retail facilities. Rudolph and Sletten’s current clients include Hewlett-Packard, Genentech, and Kaiser Permanente, Stanford University, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Chiron, eBay and the University of California.

About Cell Genesys
Cell Genesys (NASDAQ: CEGE) is focused on the development and commercialization of novel biological therapies for patients with cancer. The company has a broad portfolio of clinical stage product development programs, an extensive technology and patent estate, and a strong balance sheet. The company is conducting trials in multiple types of caner utilizing two of its three product platform technologies—GVAX® cancer vaccines and oncolytic virus therapies.

Cell Genesys’ cancer gene therapy technologies, the company’s third product platform, are being evaluated in preclinical programs for multiple types of cancer. The company’s majority-owned subsidiary, Ceregene, Inc., is focused on the development of gene therapies for neurologic disorders. Cell Genesys also continues to hold approximately 9.9 percent of the common stock in its former subsidiary, Abgenix, Inc. (NASDAQ: ABGX).

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