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Affymetrix Inc. (Nasdaq:AFFX) announced today that it has granted
Tessarae Inc. non-exclusive access to its microarray technology to
develop and market epidemiological research tests for public health and
biodefense surveillance. As part of the Powered by Affymetrix™
program, the TessArray™ kits simultaneously
detect and identify hundreds of strains of natural and emergent viral
and bacterial pathogens, as well as biothreat agents. The resulting
information will enable researchers to better understand and respond to
pandemic infectious disease threats.
Traditional microbial detection and identification methods are based on
phenotypic traits, such as the organism’s
ability to grow on certain carbon sources or catalyze the conversion of
specific substrates. The TessArray kits are based on multiplexed
genotypic signatures present on the Affymetrix CustomSeq®
Resequencing Arrays. These arrays have been designed and fabricated to
detect a set of upper respiratory pathogen-specific target sequences
provided by the United States Naval Research Laboratory. Public health
officials can use the resulting information to quickly identify the most
likely agent strain(s) associated with disease outbreaks.
“The new Affymetrix microarray-based TessArray
kits represent common viral and bacterial pathogens associated with
acute respiratory disease and pneumonia, as well as biothreat agents
that can elicit similar respiratory symptoms,”
said Clark Tibbetts, Ph.D., co-founder and chief technology officer at
Tessarae. “For example, the TessArray™
RPM-Flu Kit detects and distinguishes avian H5N1 from other influenza
strains and respiratory pathogens, and simultaneously identifies any
known or previously unknown mutations that may elevate strain virulence
and pandemic risk. A single-specimen, single-test, same-day result is a
significant breakthrough for real-time global epidemiology.”
Tessarae President and Co-Founder Klaus Schafer, M.D., M.P.H., adds, “Investigators
at collection sites can determine whether detected pathogen strains
warrant elevated epidemic or pandemic concerns. The TessArray kits
enable a level of strain and sub-strain discrimination not possible with
other array-based methodologies, as well as the ability to detect and
characterize novel nucleotide changes in the pathogen genome sequence at
the same time.”
“With the recent emergence of new infectious
diseases such as avian influenza, it is important for global health
organizations to have access to comprehensive epidemiological
surveillance research tools,” said Robert
Lipshutz, Ph.D., senior vice president, Corporate Development and
Emerging Markets at Affymetrix. “We are
pleased to have Tessarae join our Powered by Affymetrix program and we
anticipate that the availability of these types of microarray-based
testing kits and services will allow epidemiologists to better monitor
the spread of pathogens and detect mutations that may alter their
potential to cause a pandemic.”
The Powered by Affymetrix program enables commercial entities to license
GeneChip® technology
to develop microarray products for applications in diagnostics,
forensics, animal testing, industrial testing, food testing and more.
About Tessarae
Tessarae was founded in 2005 to develop and provide advanced genomic
microarray applications, products and services as support tools for
critical decision makers. Leveraging the molecular genomics, infectious
disease, medicine and public health experience of its founders, Tessarae
offers a turnkey solution for simultaneous detection and identification
of known and unknown strains and variants of pathogenic agents. The
TessArray™ RPM-Flu3.0 array represents four
years and over $35 million of R&D expenditures of the U.S. Department of
Defense to develop and validate the platform for public health and
biodefense screening and surveillance of respiratory disease agents.
Validation exercises in real-world epidemic outbreak venues demonstrated
superior sensitivity and specificity of the TessArray™
RPM platform, compared with gold-standard benchmarks of microbial
culture and/or molecular tests using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
methodologies. In November 2006, Tessarae was granted license to the
U.S. government patent portfolio for commercialization of the platform
and related applications worldwide. Complementary TessArray™
RPM-based applications are now in development, including encephalitis,
hemorrhagic fever, and other latent and acute blood-borne infections.
For more information about Tessarae, please contact info@tessarae.com
or for inquiries on Tessarae’s global
surveillance project, contact pandemiology@tessarae.com.
About Affymetrix
Affymetrix scientists invented the world’s
first high-density microarray in 1989 and began selling the first
commercial microarray in 1994. Since then, Affymetrix GeneChip®
technology has become the industry standard in molecular biology
research. Affymetrix technology is used by the world’s
top pharmaceutical, diagnostic and biotechnology companies as well as
leading academic, government and not-for-profit research institutes.
More than 1,400 systems have been installed around the world and more
than 7,000 peer-reviewed papers have been published using the
technology. Affymetrix’ patented
photolithographic manufacturing process provides the most information
capacity available today on an array, enabling researchers to use a
whole-genome approach to analyzing the relationship between genetics and
health. Affymetrix is headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., with
manufacturing facilities in Sacramento, Calif., Bedford, Mass., and
Singapore. The company maintains important sales and marketing
operations in Europe and Asia, and has about 1,100 employees worldwide.
For more information about Affymetrix, please visit the company’s
website at www.affymetrix.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 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 and uncertainties
associated with the agreement between Affymetrix and Tessarae discussed
in this press release; risks of the company’s
ability to achieve and sustain higher levels of revenue, higher gross
margins and reduced operating expenses; uncertainties relating to
technological approaches, manufacturing and product development;
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/A for the year ended December 31, 2005, 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.
NOTE: Affymetrix, the Affymetrix logo and GeneChip®
are registered trademarks owned or used by Affymetrix Inc. Tessarae, the
Tessarae logo and TessArray™ are trademarks
in use by Tessarae Inc. and its affiliate Tessarae LLC.