Filed by Genzyme Corporation (Commission File No. 000-14680)
                          pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act of 1933

                   Subject Company: Focal, Inc. (Commission File No. 000-23247)

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE               MEDIA CONTACT:            INVESTOR CONTACT:
                                    --------------            -----------------

June 4, 2001                        Dan Quinn                 Catherine Forte
                                    617-591-5849              617-591-5881


                  GENZYME AND FOCAL ANNOUNCE PROGRESS ON MERGER

         CAMBRIDGE and FRAMINGHAM, Mass. - Genzyme Corp. and Focal, Inc.
(Nasdaq: FOCL) announced today that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
has declared effective the registration statement relating to Genzyme's purchase
of Focal, and the merger of Focal's operations with Genzyme Biosurgery (Nasdaq:
GZBX).

         A proxy statement was mailed on June 1 to holders of Focal stock. The
record date for Focal shareholders is May 25, 2001. Focal will hold a meeting of
its shareholders to obtain the required approvals on June 29, 2001 at 10 a.m. at
the offices of Hale and Dorr LLP, 60 State Street, Boston. Upon shareholder
approval, the transaction is expected to close by the end of June.

         Genzyme currently holds 22 percent of Focal, and plans to acquire the
remaining 78 percent in an exchange of Genzyme Biosurgery stock for Focal stock.
The boards of directors of Genzyme Corp. and Focal have unanimously approved the
merger, and certain long-term institutional shareholders with approximately 12.5
percent of Focal's outstanding shares have entered into an




agreement to vote their shares to approve the merger. Under the terms of the
merger agreement announced April 26, Focal shareholders will receive 0.1545 of a
share of Genzyme Biosurgery stock for each share of Focal stock they hold.

         The acquisition will bring Genzyme Biosurgery world wide rights to
FocalSeal(R)-L, which is used to seal air leaks that develop during lung
surgery, and is being investigated for potential use in heart and general
surgery. Genzyme also obtains Focal's extensive intellectual property in the
area of synthetic biomaterials, and several promising products in development.
The most advanced of these is FocalSeal(R)-S, which has been approved in Europe
for use in sealing the dura during brain surgery, and has been approved for
clinical trials in the United States.

         "We are very pleased with this transaction, which will expand Genzyme
Biosurgery's leading role in the field of surgical biomaterials," said Duke
Collier, president of Genzyme Biosurgery. "Focal's intellectual property and
experience with synthetic biopolymers will complement our extensive work with
natural biopolymers. We are well along with plans to integrate the businesses,
and expect a smooth transition after the transaction closes."

         "We are excited to report that this merger continues on track," said
Ronald S. Rudowsky, president and CEO of Focal. "We believe that this is a great
opportunity for our shareholders to be a part of an organization with strong
financial and technical resources, and a commitment to developing and marketing
new biomaterial products."



         Genzyme Biosurgery is a leader in the emerging market for sophisticated
biotechnology products used to improve or replace surgery. Its portfolio of
products is concentrated on two rapidly growing markets: orthopaedics and heart
disease. Genzyme Biosurgery is developing a pipeline of biomaterials and
biotherapeutics for these markets, as well as a group of biomaterials products
designed to ameliorate the consequences of surgery. Genzyme Biosurgery is a
division of Genzyme Corp.

         Focal, Inc. develops, manufactures and commercializes a proprietary
platform polymer technology currently used for synthetic, absorbable, liquid
surgical sealants, and being investigated for other purposes, including drug
delivery and tissue engineering. In addition to its commercial surgical sealants
for lung and neurological surgery, the company's FocalSeal-L surgical sealant is
currently being developed for its potential use inside the body to seal leaks
resulting from cardiovascular and gastrointestinal surgery.

                                      # # #

Genzyme(R) is registered trademark of Genzyme Corporation. Focal(R) and
FocalSeal(R) are registered trademarks of Focal, Inc.

         This press release contains forward-looking statements based on Genzyme
Corp.'s current expectations regarding the acquisition of Focal and the
integration of Focal's business and operations into Genzyme's Biosurgery
division, including without limitation statements about: the proposed Focal
shareholder meeting to approve the acquisition, the approval of the acquisition
by Focal's shareholders; the completion of the proposed acquisition by Genzyme,
the date the acquisition will be completed; the expansion of the Focal's
technology and the broadened biopolymer expertise of Genzyme Biosurgery
following completion of the acquisition; and the integration of Focal's
operations into the operations of Genzyme Biosurgery. Actual results may
materially differ due to numerous factors, including: conditions in the
financial markets relevant to the proposed acquisition; the need for Focal's
shareholders to approve the acquisition; the operational integration associated
with the combination of Focal's




business and Genzyme Biosurgery's business; other risks generally associated
with transactions of this type; the ability of Focal to continue to operate its
business successfully prior to the completion of the acquisition; the ability of
Genzyme Biosurgery to successfully commercialize its products and services; and
the risks and uncertainties described in reports filed by Genzyme Corporation
with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, including without limitation Exhibit 99.2 to Genzyme's 2000
Annual Report on Form 10-K. Genzyme Biosurgery Division Common Stock is a series
of common stock of Genzyme Corporation. Therefore, holders of Genzyme Biosurgery
Division Common Stock are subject to all of the risks and uncertainties
described in the aforementioned reports relating generally to the holders of
Genzyme Corporation common stock.

The information contained in this press release is not a substitute for the
prospectus/proxy statement. Investors are urged to read that document because it
will contain important information, including detailed risk factors. Focal
mailed the proxy statement/prospectus describing the merger and the related
transactions to Focal stockholders on or about June 1. The proxy
statement/prospectus and other documents filed by Genzyme and Focal with the SEC
may be obtained free of charge at the SEC's website (www.sec.gov) and from
Genzyme or Focal by directing such requests to the respective contacts listed
above.

Focal, its directors, and certain of its executive officers may be considered
participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the merger.
Information concerning Focal's directors and executive officers can be found in
the documents filed by Focal with the SEC. Certain directors and executive
officers of Focal may have direct or indirect interests in the merger due to
securities holdings, vesting of options, and rights to severance payments if
their employment is terminated following the merger. In addition, directors and
officers, after the merger, will be indemnified by Genzyme, and benefit from
insurance coverage, for liabilities that may arise from their service as
directors and officers of Focal prior to the merger. Additional information
regarding the participants in the solicitation will be contained in the proxy
statement/prospectus.

                                      # # #

Genzyme's releases are on the World Wide Web at http://www.genzyme.com. They are
also available from Genzyme's fax-on-demand service at 1-800-436-1443 within the
United States or 1-201-521-1080 outside the United States.