Luminex and Exiqon Announce Development and Commercialization Agreement

New microRNA products will be developed by Exiqon for the Luminex Bioscience Group 


AUSTIN, Texas and COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Sept. 19  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Luminex(R) Corporation (NASDAQ:LMNX), a leading multiplex solution developer, and Exiqon A/S, a leading supplier of high-value gene expression analysis products, announced today the signing of an agreement to co-develop and commercialize microRNA products. Exiqon will develop and manufacture microRNA products on behalf of the Luminex Bioscience Group (LBG) based on Luminex's xMAP(R) technology and Exiqon's Locked Nucleic Acid (LNA(TM)) technology. Combining the strengths and unique advantages of both companies' core technologies will create a line of microRNA products that are comprehensive, highly specific and easy to use.

Patrick J. Balthrop, president and chief executive officer of Luminex, commented, "This development and commercialization agreement with Exiqon demonstrates Luminex's commitment to launch new products that meet the needs of a broad spectrum of end-users. In the coming months we expect to serve our customers with a superior product solution in a high growth market as LBG provides these microRNA products through our partner base. We anticipate this and other future LBG applications will significantly enhance our partners' leadership in multiplexed life science research and diagnostics."

Lars Kongsbak, president and chief executive officer of Exiqon, added, "Combining the ease-of-use and high multiplexing capacity of the Luminex xMAP platform with the high sensitivity and specificity of our LNA probes will result in a unique product offering. Luminex xMAP instruments hold a significant share of detection platforms in the life sciences industry in both the research and clinical settings. This collaboration will ensure our highly specific microRNA detection chemistries are broadly available to this market segment, which is an important strategic accomplishment for Exiqon."

About microRNAs and LNA(TM)

microRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of regulatory RNA molecules with widespread effects on gene regulation. Although recently identified as a new class of molecules, initial studies indicate that miRNAs may regulate as much as one third of all genes in the genome. Thus miRNAs comprise an up-until-now hidden level of gene regulation.

Interestingly, miRNAs have already been found to have important roles in several types of cancers and in processes involved in cellular differentiation. In the cell, miRNAs are found in the form of single-stranded RNA molecules, which are typically 20-25 nucleotides long in their active form. LNAs (Locked nucleic acids) are a class of nucleotide analogue that binds very strongly to RNA and DNA targets. By including LNAs in detection probes, it is possible to design very specific high-affinity detection assays for small RNA targets like miRNAs, which otherwise would not be possible using standard DNA-based detection probes.

About Exiqon

Exiqon is a leading supplier of high-value gene expression analysis products for the life sciences, research and drug discovery industries. Exiqon's rapidly growing product offerings integrate innovative chemistries with web-based software tools to help scientists achieve rapid and reliable results. Exiqon markets its products directly on http://www.exiqon.com/ or through distributors in the EU and Asia, as well as through its new, dedicated US sales force. Exiqon is located in the Medicon Valley area of Copenhagen, Denmark and in Boston, USA. Please visit our web-site at http://www.exiqon.com/.

About Luminex

Luminex Corporation develops, manufactures and markets proprietary biological testing technologies with applications throughout the life sciences industry. The Company's xMAP system is an open-architecture, multi-analyte technology platform that delivers fast, accurate and cost-effective bioassay results to markets as diverse as pharmaceutical drug discovery, clinical diagnostics and biomedical research, including the genomics and proteomics research markets. The Company's xMAP technology is sold worldwide and is already in use in leading research laboratories as well as major pharmaceutical, diagnostic and biotechnology companies. Luminex's xMAP technology received the 2005 Clinical Diagnostics Technology of the Year Award from Frost & Sullivan. The Company was named in the 2005 Deloitte Fast 500 of fastest growing technology companies in North America. Further information on Luminex Corporation or xMAP can be obtained on the Internet at http://www.luminexcorp.com/

Statements made in this release that express Luminex's or management's intentions, plans, beliefs, expectations or predictions of future events are forward-looking statements. The words "believe," "expect," "intend," "estimate," "anticipate," "will," "could," "should" and similar expressions are intended to further identify such forward-looking statements for purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. It is important to note that the Company's actual results or performance could differ materially from those anticipated or projected in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause Luminex's actual results or performance to differ materially include risks and uncertainties relating to, among others, market demand and acceptance of Luminex's products, the Company's dependence on strategic partners for development, commercialization and distribution of products, fluctuations in quarterly results due to a lengthy and unpredictable sales cycle, Luminex's ability to scale manufacturing operations, potential shortages of components, competition, the timing of regulatory approvals and any modification of the Company's operating plan in response to its ongoing evaluation of its business, as well as the risks discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in Luminex's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements contained herein represent the judgment of Luminex as of the date of this press release, and Luminex expressly disclaims any intent, obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in Luminex's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based.

   Exiqon Company Contact:
   Dr. Lars Kongsbak
   President & CEO
   [phone]
   [phone]
   

   Luminex Corporate Contact:
   Harriss T. Currie
   Vice President, Finance
   Chief Financial Officer
   512.219.8020
   

   Luminex Media Contact:
   Sandra G. Oak
   Nsight Public Relations
   321.591.1508
   

DATASOURCE: Luminex Corporation



CONTACT:  Dr. Lars Kongsbak, President & CEO of Exiqon, [phone],

or [phone], or ; or Harriss T. Currie, Vice President,

Finance, Chief Financial Officer of Luminex, [phone], or

; or media, Sandra G. Oak of Nsight Public Relations,

[phone], or , for Luminex



Web site: http://www.luminexcorp.com/

http://www.exiqon.com/

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