Exhibit 99.2

                              FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Contact:

Orchid BioSciences
(609) 750-2221
Tracy J. Henrikson
Director, Corporate Communications


            ORCHID OBTAINS $10 MILLION CREDIT FACILITY FROM COMERICA

PRINCETON, N.J., Dec. 27, 2002 - Orchid BioSciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: ORCH) today
announced that it has obtained a $10 million credit facility from Comerica
(NYSE: CMA), a leading financial services company. The credit facility is to be
used for working capital and is composed of a $10 million revolving line of
credit based on accounts receivable.

"We are pleased to establish this banking relationship with Comerica, a
respected financial institution that understands the growth opportunities of our
genoprofiling services business," said Andrew P. Savadelis, chief financial
officer and senior vice president, finance of Orchid. "This credit facility
provides Orchid with a cost-effective, flexible resource to help us meet our
working capital needs as we progress towards profitability in 2003. Our success
in establishing this new financing relationship reflects our continued progress
in both reducing operating expenses and focusing our business on higher growth,
higher margin segments."

About Orchid BioSciences
------------------------
Orchid BioSciences is the leading provider of services and products for
profiling genetic uniqueness. Orchid's interlocking strategic business units
address distinctive markets that together represent a unique balance of
established, predictable growth, such as forensic and paternity DNA testing, and
large upside potential, like pharmacogenetics-based personalized healthcare. All
leverage Orchid's network of accredited genotyping laboratories, its leading
technologies and its expertise in genetic analysis. Orchid provides identity
genomics testing for forensics and paternity through Orchid Cellmark and Orchid
GeneScreen. Orchid Diagnostics markets products and services for HLA genotyping,
disease susceptibility testing and immunogenetics. Orchid GeneShield is
developing pharmacogenetics-based programs designed to accelerate the adoption
of personalized healthcare. Orchid provides advanced SNP genotyping services to
pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agricultural and academic customers, and develops
valuable SNP markers and assays. More information on Orchid can be found at
www.orchid.com.

About Comerica's Technology and Life Sciences Division
------------------------------------------------------
Comerica Bank's Technology and Life Sciences Division is one of the nation's
leading technology banking practices, offering a wide range of financial
services tailored to corporate customers, entrepreneurs and professionals.
Veteran bankers provide credit and financial services and products to young,
growing professionally backed technology and life sciences companies as well as,
their more mature counterparts in the computer products, internet services,
telecommunications, and life sciences. From 19 offices located across the U.S.,
Comerica's Technology and Life Sciences Division serves all major technology
centers. Comerica Incorporated is the 17th largest bank holding company in the
nation, with $51 billion in assets. For more information, visit
http://www.comerica.com.



All statements in this press release that are not historical are forward-looking
statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act as
amended, including statements regarding Orchid's belief that the credit facility
provides Orchid with a cost-effective flexible resource to help it to meet its
working capital needs as it progresses towards profitability in 2003. Such
statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
results to differ materially from those projected, including, but not limited
to, uncertainties relating to technologies, product development, manufacturing,
market acceptance, cost and pricing of Orchid products and services, dependence
on collaborations and partners, regulatory approvals, competition, intellectual
property of others, and patent protection and litigation. These risks and other
additional factors affecting Orchid's business are discussed in the
"Forward-Looking Statements" section of Orchid's Form 10-Q for the quarterly
period ended September 30, 2002 and the "Overview" and "Risk Factors" sections
of Orchid's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2001,
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Orchid expressly disclaims
any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to
any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in
Orchid's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions,
or circumstances on which any such statements are based, except as may be
required by law.

                                       ###