SAN DIEGO, Mar 07, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN) announced today thecommercial availability of three new GoldenGate(R) single nucleotidepolymorphism (SNP) assay panels designed to study genetic variationand help researchers understand how certain genotypes impact disease.Illumina has also introduced a 96-plex Sentrix(R) universal array,further expanding the multiplexing flexibility of custom GoldenGategenotyping. Supplementing the catalog offerings is a new test panel toscreen DNA samples for predictive assay quality.
GoldenGate Cancer Panel
Developed in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute,Illumina's new Cancer SNP Panel can genotype 1421 loci on over 400genes thought to be related to disease progression. As a result of theimplementation on the Sentrix Array Matrix format, 96 samples areanalyzed in parallel. This panel gives cancer researchers an effectivetool for conducting candidate gene-based association studies acrossmany samples. More information at www.illumina.com/ggcancer.
GoldenGate Mouse Linkage Mapping Panels
Mouse has evolved as an optimal model system for investigating thegenetics of complex disease traits. For instance, a SNP in a gene thathelps determine bone mineral density would be expected to associatestrongly with osteoporosis. Illumina has developed two mouse linkagepanels for high-throughput and highly informative GoldenGategenotyping. The first panel includes 377 validated SNP loci optimizedfor the 10 most common inbred mouse strains used in genetic mapping.The second panel (1449 loci) provides higher resolution and broadermapping capability, enabling linkage analysis in outbred strains aswell. The panels are profiled at: www.illumina.com/ggmouse.
"Customers will find it very easy to integrate these SNP panelsinto their BeadStation genotyping operations," explains Sarah ShawMurray, Ph.D., Staff Genotyping Science Manager. "Typical ofGoldenGate genotyping, data quality is extremely high. In addition,customers will be able to access the data either from our fast-trackgenotyping service or as part of a genotyping reagent kit."
Other New Products
In response to customers who want to study smaller numbers ofvalidated SNP markers per sample, Illumina has also introduced Sentrixuniversal arrays that contain a multiplex level of just 96 GoldenGateassays. This advancement now allows customers flexibility to genotypesets of custom markers ranging from 96 to 1536 SNPs per array,depending on their application and need.
Finally, Illumina has developed and made available a GoldenGateDNA Test Panel composed of more than 360 markers that reside outsideof genes and conserved sequences and are likely to be "neutral" todisease association. This panel can be used to selectively pre-screensample DNA quality prior to embarking on a large-scale genotypingstudy.
"We're very pleased to introduce these powerful new genotypingtools," stated Jay Flatley, Illumina President and CEO. "Our expandedportfolio of standard products will help deliver additional value intoour growing base of users. Additionally, the pace of our new productlaunches underscores the capabilities of our core manufacturingoperations and the ever-improving execution skill of our developmentteams."
Illumina's genotyping product portfolio includes custom andstandard products, with focused and whole-genome content, deployed ontwo different array platforms: the 96-sample Sentrix Array Matrix andthe high-density Sentrix BeadChip.
Illumina (www.illumina.com) is developing next-generation toolsthat permit large-scale analysis of genetic variation and function.The Company's proprietary BeadArray(TM) technology -- now used inleading genome centers around the world -- provides the throughput,cost effectiveness and flexibility to enable researchers in the lifesciences and pharmaceutical industries to perform the billions oftests necessary to extract medically valuable information fromadvances in genomics and proteomics. This information will help pavethe way to personalized medicine.
Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities LitigationReform Act of 1995: this release may contain forward-lookingstatements that involve risks and uncertainties. Among the importantfactors that could cause actual results to differ materially fromthose in any forward-looking statements are the costs and outcome ofIllumina's litigation with Affymetrix, the Company's ability to scaleand integrate CyVera technology, the ability to further scale oligosynthesis output and technology to satisfy market demand deriving fromthe Company's collaboration with Invitrogen, Illumina's ability tofurther develop and commercialize its BeadArray technologies and todeploy new gene expression and genotyping products and applicationsfor its platform technology, to manufacture robust Sentrix(R) arrays -including HumanHap BeadChips -- and Oligator(R) oligonucleotides, andother factors detailed in the Company's filings with the Securitiesand Exchange Commission including its recent filings on Forms 10-K and10-Q or in information disclosed in public conference calls, the dateand time of which are released beforehand. Illumina disclaims anyintent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements beyondthe date of this release.
SOURCE: Illumina, Inc.
CONTACT: Illumina, Inc.
Jay Flatley, 1-858-202-4501
President & CEO
jflatley@illumina.com
or
William Craumer, 1-858-202-4667
Director, Corporate Communications
bcraumer@illumina.com
SOURCE: Illumina, Inc.