New, SNP-Based Discovery Tools Provide Superior Statistical Power and Productivity Compared to STR-Based Linkage Analysis Methods
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, August 19, 2003 -- Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ: ILMN) announced today that it has developed and is making available its new SNP-based Linkage III Panel, a third-generation, genome-wide set of SNP-based markers and validated assay optimized to provide statistically powerful information for linkage mapping. When integrated into Illumina's BeadLab production genotyping environment, the resulting "toolset" solution delivers market-leading performance, robustness and sample throughput for successful genetic disease mapping studies. Available as part of a fast-track SNP genotyping service or as a standard product for research centers which have installed Illumina's BeadLab, the Linkage III Panel represents a more powerful and cost-effective approach for discovery than alternative methods using short-tandem repeat (STR) marker maps.
The Linkage III Panel assay has been developed to interrogate more than 4600 SNP loci distributed evenly across the human genome. Its genetic map offers five to ten times better coverage than common STR marker maps and is ideally suited for family-based genetic linkage studies, according to Sarah H. Shaw Ph.D., a Staff Scientist and statistical geneticist at Illumina. "Compared to STR-based maps, our Linkage III Panel delivers much higher information content - a statistical measure of genetic mapping power -- across every human chromosome," Shaw stated. "The statistical power derives both from the high density of marker coverage and from the discrete selection of markers with high heterozygosity. Together these two features make it easier for geneticists to identify genomic regions linked to disease."
"The Linkage III Panel addresses our customers' growing demand for more effective SNP maps and genotyping tools," says Jay Flatley, Illumina President and CEO. "Our turnkey linkage mapping solution offers the best combination of high-quality content, industry-leading reproducibility and sample throughput, with the lowest-available cost per project for customers performing linkage analysis."
Illumina's BeadArray technology and GoldenGate assay protocol enable 96-well, plate-based sample handling and parallel analysis of more than 1200 SNP markers per well and nearly 120,000 genotypes per plate, providing significant savings in sample and reagent volumes and experimental cycle times. The robust system provides automated genotype calling with high accuracy, as measured by reproducibility greater than 99.99% and genotype call rates that typically exceed 99.9%.
A Full Menu of Fast-Track Services
The Linkage III Panel is part of a full menu of genotyping services offered by Illumina. The Company's production-scale, LIMS-controlled BeadLab can process over one million SNP genotypes per day. Larger-scale genotyping studies can now be conducted for customers in less than 45 days compared to many months typically required for STR-based studies. Once genomic regions of interest are found from linkage mapping studies, investigators may continue and expand the scale of research efforts by using Illumina's fast-track services for fine mapping studies and whole genome scanning. Illumina has developed and deployed in its genotyping panels more than 40,000 validated SNP assays, which are in turn, readily and affordably supplemented by custom assay development.
more information about Illumina's Linkage III Panel or about other products and services for high-throughput, array-based SNP genotyping, contact Illumina Customer Solutions at +1.858.202.4566 or visit http://www.illumina.com/Products/SNP/snp_linkage_analysis.ilmn.
Illumina (www.illumina.com) is developing next-generation tools that permit large-scale analysis of genetic variation and function. The Company's proprietary BeadArray™ technology provides the throughput, cost effectiveness and flexibility to enable researchers in the life sciences and pharmaceutical industries to perform the billions of tests necessary to extract medically valuable information from advances in genomics and proteomics. This information will help pave the way to personalized medicine.
"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: this release may contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Among the important factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are Illumina's ability to continue to develop and improve its BeadArray and Oligator technologies, the Company's ability to successfully build out international sales and support organizations, the Company's ability to develop and deploy new applications for its platform technology, and other factors detailed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including its recent filings on Forms 10-K and 10-Q or in information disclosed in public conference calls, the date and time of which are released beforehand. Illumina disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements beyond the date of this release.