Affymetrix, ParAllele and Cambridge University Collaborate for Large-Scale Genetic Study of Diabetes
July 20 2004 - 3:30AM
PR Newswire (US)
Affymetrix, ParAllele and Cambridge University Collaborate for
Large-Scale Genetic Study of Diabetes Candidate-Gene Association
Study to Use Standard Panel of More Than 10,000 Coding SNPs and
Genotype Over 2,000 People SANTA CLARA, Calif., SOUTH SAN
FRANCISCO, Calif. and CAMBRIDGE, England, July 20
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Affymetrix, Inc. (NASDAQ:AFFX) and
ParAllele BioScience announced today that scientists at Cambridge
University will use GeneChip(R) Tag Arrays and MegAllele(TM)
genotyping reagents in one of the most informative genetic studies
of type 1 diabetes ever planned. This study utilizes the new
products resulting from the recent partnership between Affymetrix
and ParAllele, enabling researchers to perform large-scale
genotyping in their own labs with their own panels of single
nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). (For an interactive version of
this press release with additional information, please go to
http://www.affymetrix.com/pr and click on the release title)
Professor John Todd of the University's Juvenile Diabetes Research
Foundation/Wellcome Trust Diabetes and Inflammation Laboratory
(DIL) at Cambridge is leading this research effort. His group will
be the first to use a ParAllele-developed standard panel of 10,000
non-synonymous SNPs -- SNPs that change the sequences of proteins
-- to compare genotypes between 1,000 control samples and 1,000
diabetic samples. The scientists have planned this as the first
stage in the analysis of over 20,000 DNA samples already collected
from diabetes patients and their relatives. The DIL is committed to
sharing these samples and results with other researchers in the
worldwide effort of finding new disease-associated genes for the
development of better therapies and prognostic tests. The controls
come from the 1958 British Birth Cohort in collaboration with
Professor David Strachan of St. George's Hospital Medical School,
London. "This research project is the most exciting and important
genetics experiment I've ever been involved in," said Todd. "We've
been collecting samples for quite some time and have been waiting
for a technology that would give us the genetic power we needed to
commence informative studies. Using this new solution from
Affymetrix and ParAllele for a genome-wide gene association study
provides us with the best opportunity we've ever had to discover
new disease-associated genes and polymorphisms." "We're delighted
to offer scientists a full range of tools to analyze the genome in
different ways, leading to a better understanding of disease," said
Greg Yap, Senior Marketing Director of DNA Analysis at Affymetrix.
"Our new partnership with ParAllele enables us to provide
researchers with another solution for genetic association studies
and complements our existing solutions for genome-wide genotyping
and resequencing." ParAllele's MegAllele(TM) products include
genotyping reagent kits and software specifically designed for use
with Affymetrix GeneChip(R) Tag Arrays and instrumentation systems.
These new products offer the ability to genotype up to tens of
thousands of SNPs in a single, flexible assay. "We are pleased to
be working with a pioneer such as John Todd on such an important
study," said Nick Naclerio, President & CEO of ParAllele
BioScience. "This will be the first time that any researcher has
directly analyzed this many potentially disease-related SNPs in
such a well-characterized population. The ability to conduct
studies of this scale may provide important new insights into type
1 diabetes." Using the combined MegAllele and GeneChip product,
scientists can select SNPs from custom panels of 3,000 to 5,000
SNPs and standard panels of up to 10,000 pre-selected SNPs. The
panel being used in the Cambridge University study is also
available to other researchers worldwide. Assay design is
customized and comprehensive, enabling researchers to successfully
genotype more of the SNPs they want. About ParAllele Bioscience:
ParAllele BioScience, Inc. is accelerating healthcare breakthroughs
by providing comprehensive genetic discovery solutions to the life
science research, pharmaceutical and diagnostic sectors. The
company's products and services utilize a unique approach that
leverages novel biochemical processes rather than complex
instrumentation to discover and analyze minute variations in the
human genome. The understanding of how subtle genetic variations
contribute to disease risk, prognosis and drug response will lead
to new and more effective drugs, predictive diagnosis, and the
ability to better tailor therapies to individual patients. To date,
ParAllele has established research collaborations with multiple
large pharmaceutical companies and prestigious academic and
government institutions. Headquartered in South San Francisco,
California, ParAllele BioScience was founded by a team of leading
researchers from the Stanford Genome Technology Center and Uppsala
University. The company's investors include Abingworth Management,
Index Ventures, Mohr Davidow Ventures and Versant Ventures. For
more information about ParAllele, please visit the company's
website at http://www.parallelebio.com/. About Affymetrix:
Affymetrix is a pioneer in creating breakthrough tools that are
driving the genomic revolution. By applying the principles of
semiconductor technology to the life sciences, Affymetrix develops
and commercializes systems that enable scientists to improve the
quality of life. The Company's customers include pharmaceutical,
biotechnology, agrichemical, diagnostics and consumer products
companies as well as academic, government and other non-profit
research institutes. Affymetrix offers an expanding portfolio of
integrated products and services, including its integrated GeneChip
brand platform, to address growing markets focused on understanding
the relationship between genes and human health. Additional
information on Affymetrix can be found at
http://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 of the Company's
ability to achieve and sustain higher levels of revenue, higher
gross margins, reduced operating expenses, uncertainties relating
to technological approaches, manufacturing, product development,
market acceptance (including uncertainties relating to the outcome
of the genetic study of diabetes described in this press release),
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 for the year ended December
31, 2003 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. About the
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation/Wellcome Trust Diabetes and
Inflammation Laboratory (DIL; http://www-gene.cimr.cam.ac.uk/todd/
): The DIL, centered in the Cambridge Institute for Medical
Research, is a multidisciplinary research program within the
University departments of Medical Genetics and Paediatrics. The DIL
collaborates with the Department of Public Health and Primary Care
and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, and is a member of the
international Type 1 Diabetes Genetics Consortium. The goals of the
DIL are to identify genes and molecular mechanisms that contribute
to the breakdown of self-tolerance in type 1 diabetes and
autoimmune disease and so therapeutically modulate one or more of
these pathways to prevent primary, or transplanted, beta cell
destruction. To further these aims, 2005 will see the completion of
an 8,000 case DNA collection, and a 1,500 family study focused on
diabetes complications. NOTE: Affymetrix, the Affymetrix logo, and
GeneChip are registered trademarks owned or used by Affymetrix,
Inc. DATASOURCE: Affymetrix, Inc. CONTACT: media, Wes Conard,
Associate Director, Public Relations, +1-408-731-5791, or
investors, or investors, Doug Farrell, Vice President, Investor
Relations, +1-408-731-5285, both of Affymetrix, Inc.; or media Nick
Naclerio, PhD, President & CEO of ParAllele BioScience,
+1-650-583-5833, or ; or media, Karen Bergman or Michelle Corral
BCC Partners, +1-650-575-1509, or +1-415-794-8662, for ParAllele
BioScience Web site: http://www.affymetrix.com/ Web site:
http://www.parallelebio.com/ Web site:
http://www-gene.cimr.cam.ac.uk/todd
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