Sequenom - agreement with NIDDK - 500 Beiträge pro Seite

[phöniks]

SAN DIEGO, June 16 /PRNewswire/ -- SEQUENOM, Inc. (Nasdaq: SQNM) today
announced a commercial agreement with the National Institute of Diabetes and
Digestive Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) to screen DNA samples linked to type 2
diabetes mellitus to identify the genetic variations, or single nucleotide
polymorphisms (SNPs), correlated with the disease and to determine the SNP
frequency in different populations. NIDDK will provide individual samples of
affected and control DNA. SEQUENOM will use its MassARRAY(TM) technology and
its capability to analyze SNPs in a single sample pool containing DNA from
hundreds of individuals. NIDDK is part of the National Institutes of Health
(NIH), the federal government`s primary agency for the support of biomedical
research.
Toni Schuh, Ph.D., SEQUENOM`s President and CEO, said, "This agreement
expands the commercial relationship between SEQUENOM and the NIH with current
projects generating revenues in excess of $500,000 this year with expectations
for growth. This specific validation project provides SEQUENOM with an
opportunity to demonstrate the significant competitive advantage of our
MassARRAY system to validate marker and gene utility in humans. A correlation
study such as this should garner highly valuable information identifying the
genetic variations that are medically relevant to type 2 diabetes mellitus.
The frequency of those variations will also be determined in different ethnic
populations. This is a significant step toward personalized medicine for
diagnostics and drug development."
Scientists at the NIDDK in Phoenix have found a link to type 2 diabetes
mellitus in Pima Indians. This population of Native Americans has the highest
reported prevalence and incidence rate of this disease of any population in
the world. A similar link has been reported in the Old Order Amish and
Caucasians living in Utah, indicating a likely diabetes susceptibility locus.
To characterize the genetic variation underlying this linkage, researchers
must identify and analyze a number of SNPs at discrete intervals and use the
data in association analyses.
Andreas Braun, M.D., Ph.D., SEQUENOM`s Chief Medical Officer, said, "This
research requires the screening of hundreds of SNPs to identify differences in
allele frequency between diabetic and non-diabetic populations. SEQUENOM has
the ability to analyze these SNPs in a single sample pool containing DNA from
hundreds of individuals through the use of automated assay design and the
accuracy of our MassARRAY system. This type of study has been simply
impractical and unaffordable using other technologies. With the use of the
MassARRAY system, we are now able to reduce the time and costs required to do
such a study by a factor of 100 or more."
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
conducts and supports research on many of the most serious diseases affecting
public health. The Institute supports much of the clinical research on the
diseases of internal medicine and related subspecialty fields as well as many
basic science disciplines. The Institute supports basic and clinical research
through investigator-initiated grants, program project and center grants and
career development and training awards. The Institute also supports research
and development projects and large-scale clinical trials through contracts.
SEQUENOM is a pioneer in the new field of Industrial Genomics(TM), the
large-scale commercial use of the understanding of DNA variations for
improving health and agriculture. The Company`s MassARRAY system represents a
novel approach to genotyping by combining its proprietary enzymology,
bioinformatics and a miniaturized chip-based format with the proven technology
of mass spectrometry. The result is a highly accurate, cost-effective
technology that addresses the demand for high throughput SNP analysis and
supports strategies to implement genomic studies based on true full genome
scans. SEQUENOM is headquartered in San Diego, Calif. with offices in
Hamburg, Germany and Boston, Mass.

This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks
and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include uncertain or
fluctuating customer requirements, fluctuations in product performance,
dependence on the efforts of third parties, a new and uncertain technology
employed by SEQUENOM and its uncertain application to the needs of individual
customers and the competitive nature of SEQUENOM`s industry, as well as other
risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in SEQUENOM`s filings with
the Securities and Exchange Commission, including SEQUENOM`s annual report on
Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1999 and its most recent quarterly
report on Form 10-Q. Actual results may differ materially from those
projected herein. The forward-looking statements contained herein represent
the judgment of SEQUENOM as of the date of this release. SEQUENOM disclaims
any intent or obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements.



SOURCE SEQUENOM, Inc.
Web Site: http://www.sequenom.com

[ilk2ooo]

Hallo,
wird das irgendwelche Auswirkungen auf den Kurs haben?

[Meier M]

Servus zusammen,

gerade 36$ juchu!

mfg

[matthze]

Sie meinen wohl 38 US$?!