Friday December 05 2008 | Biotechnology feed | All feeds
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Friday December 05 2008 | Biotechnology feed | All feeds
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Affymetrix shows new DNA
analysis chips at BioTechnica Affymetrix’
DNA analysis products use the same GeneChip technology that revolutionized mRNA
gene expression analysis, enabling researchers to understand both the function
and variation of whole genomes on a single, integrated platform. The Mapping 10K
Array and CustomSeq Resequencing Array bring more information to the benchtop,
creating an opportunity for both individuals and institutions to conduct
large-scale research. Applications include genetic linkage analysis,
mitochondrial genome resequencing and cancer cell genotyping. “These
new product lines meet the growing customer demand for powerful SNP genotyping
and resequencing solutions in basic research, clinical research and development,
drug discovery, and pharmacogenomics,” said Greg Yap, Affymetrix’ Senior
Marketing Director, DNA Analysis. “High-resolution
DNA analysis tools like these will give customers richer information and clearer
insights, leading to better decisions.” Besides
these two new products Affymetrix will also show be showing its new
instrumentation range and its most recent microarray expression products. Mapping
10K Array The
Mapping 10K Array brings whole genome SNP analysis to the benchtop by combining
an innovative, scalable assay with a proven information platform -- 1 primer, 1
array, 10,000 genotypes. The
Mapping 10K delivers the most markers and highest resolution available in a
single experiment, making it easier to pinpoint genomic regions linked to
disease. The Mapping 10K’s
innovative assay does not require thousands of individual primers or multiplex
PCR, enabling researchers to analyze 10,000 SNPs with a single primer pair.
The assay uses only 250 ng of DNA -- far less than conventional methods.
Genotype calling is automatic and highly accurate, as measured by more
than 99.5 percent concordance with other methods and more than 99.9 percent
reproducibility. Applications
include genetic linkage studies of inherited disease in families, cancer
genetics, and population genetics. Some
early customers have already conducted large studies using the Mapping 10K, such
as Novartis, which recently completed a study of over 500 individuals in two
weeks producing over 5 million genotypes. “With
the new GeneChip Mapping 10K, Affymetrix now offers the most comprehensive
technology available for whole genome scans,” said Christian Lavedan, Director
of the Pharmacogenomics Laboratory at Novartis. “The assay is amenable to high
throughput genotyping analysis. The Mapping 10K is the first product to allow
customers to map blocks of linkage disequilibrium (LD) at such high density over
the entire genome. Using this tool, we have found that there are multiple blocks
of extensive LD across the genome. You do not need a marker every 5 kb to start
doing these experiments. Ten thousand SNPs provide sufficient resolution to
examine a large portion of the genome for association studies.” Other
early European customers have reported positive results: “The
Mapping 10K Array allowed us to genotype cancer cells much faster than before
and at the same time detect chromosomal copy number changes, including loss of
heterozygosity (LOH), amplification, and deletion, at greater resolution than
previously available,” said Dr. Richard Wooster, Senior Investigator, Wellcome
Trust Sanger Institute. “This will rapidly advance our understanding of the
genetic changes that arise during the development of cancer.” “Using
the Mapping 10K we found a disease locus in a week's time,” said Peter
Nuernberg, Director of the Gene Mapping Center at the Max-Delbruck Center in
Berlin. “With conventional microsatellite analysis this usually takes several
months. The Mapping 10K array technology is superior to microsatellites and will
change the way we do genetic linkage analysis.” CustomSeq
Resequencing Array The
CustomSeq Resequencing Array can sequence and genotype 30,000 base pairs in just
two days. Researchers can choose
any sequence, including either long regions or different combinations of genes.
Overall accuracy is greater than 99.99 percent.
Completed sequence across both strands (30,000 bases each strand) is
delivered automatically with minimal assembly and sequence alignment, making
high-throughput resequencing accessible to every researcher.
“In
less than two weeks, I completely resequenced 20 mitochondrial genomes using
CustomSeq arrays,” said Dr Anirban Maitra, Assistant Professor of Medicine,
Johns Hopkins University. “I used
only three PCR amplifications, dramatically simplifying the sample prep
required. Data analysis proved to
be faster and more accurate than with capillary sequencing.
By enabling the individual researchers to conduct large-scale sequencing
experiments in their own labs, CustomSeq arrays will facilitate the adoption of
complete sequence analysis for clinical applications.” -
ends - For
more information on Affymetrix please visit www.affymetrix.com
and on BioTechnica visit www.biotechnica.de About
Affymetrix: Affymetrix
is a pioneer in creating breakthrough tools that are driving the genomic
revolution. By applying the principles of semiconductor technology to the life
sciences, Affymetrix develops and commercializes systems that enable scientists
to improve the quality of life. The Company's customers include pharmaceutical,
biotechnology, agrichemical, diagnostics and consumer products companies as well
as academic, government and other non-profit research institutes. Affymetrix
offers an expanding portfolio of integrated products and services, including its
integrated GeneChip platform, to address growing markets focused on
understanding the relationship between genes and human health. 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 Affymetrix'
"expectations," "beliefs," "hopes,"
"intentions," "strategies" or the like. Such statements are
subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ
materially for Affymetrix from those projected, including, but not limited to
risks of the Company's ability to achieve and sustain higher levels of revenue,
higher gross margins, reduced operating expenses, uncertainties relating to
technological approaches, manufacturing, product development, market acceptance
(including uncertainties relating to product development and market acceptance
of the GeneChip 10K Mapping Array and GeneChip CustomSeq Resequencing array),
personnel retention, uncertainties related to cost and pricing of Affymetrix
products, dependence on collaborative partners, uncertainties relating to sole
source suppliers, uncertainties relating to FDA and other regulatory approvals,
competition, risks relating to intellectual property of others and the
uncertainties of patent protection and litigation. These and other risk factors
are discussed in Affymetrix' Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2002 and
other SEC reports, including its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for subsequent
quarterly periods. Affymetrix 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 Affymetrix' expectations with regard
thereto or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such
statements are based.
For
further information, please contact: European
media contacts: Sue Charles, Northbank Communications, +44 (0)7886 8152,
mobile +44 (0)79687 26585 German
language enquiries: Stefan Platz, Northbank Communications, +49 (0)86 1895 7846,
mobile +49 (0)179 7944 714 At Affymetrix in the US: Wes Conard, Senior Manager of Public Relations, +1 (0)408 731 5791 |
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