BRANFORD, Conn., Jan. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CuraGen Corporation's majority-owned subsidiary 454 Life Sciences Corporation today announced that the new high throughput Genome Sequencer FLX System(TM) (GS FLX) has been shipped to its marketing partner Roche Diagnostics in preparation for a first quarter 2007 launch.
The GS FLX improves upon its predecessor, the Genome Sequencer 20(TM) System, across several key aspects including longer reads, higher throughput, and greatly improved single read accuracy. The new system was developed by 454 Life Sciences in cooperation with Roche Diagnostics.
The GS FLX system offers significantly improved features: * Average read lengths between 200 - 300 bases, depending on the application and the organism; * An average of greater than 400,000 reads per run; * Single read accuracy is > 99.5% over 200 bases; * Consensus accuracy is > 99.99%; * One instrument run yielding around 100 MB takes less than 8 hours
The enhanced read length and accuracy supports an even broader range of applications which yield deep biological content. Researchers using the GS FLX will have expanded capacity to discover and develop comprehensive solutions for complex research programs. The Genome Sequencer 20 systems that are already in use can easily be upgraded on-site to GS FLX.
"We are excited about delivering the GS FLX system to our sales and marketing partner Roche in preparation for a Q1 2007 launch," said Christopher McLeod, President and CEO of 454 Life Sciences. "Feedback from early adopter sites has been very positive due to longer read lengths, increased throughput per run and very high single read accuracy over 200 bases. The GS FLX offers high throughput sequencing with single read accuracy equivalent to traditional Sanger sequencing."
The first GS FLX systems were delivered for evaluation purposes to several early adopters in November 2006, and feedback from customers has confirmed the strength of the GS FLX system's performance and utility.
454 Life Sciences has made its technology commercially available via the 454 Sequencing Center, which offers sequencing services to clients worldwide. Genome Sequencer systems and related products are sold worldwide by Roche Applied Science, a business unit of Roche Diagnostics.
About 454 Life Sciences
454 Life Sciences, a majority-owned subsidiary of CuraGen Corporation , develops and commercializes novel instrumentation for high- throughput DNA sequencing. Specific applications include whole-genome sequencing, RNA analysis and ultra-deep sequencing of target genes. The hallmarks of 454 Sequencing(TM) are its simple, unbiased sample preparation and massively parallel sequencing, which makes large-scale scientific projects feasible and more affordable. In 2005, 454 Sequencing and the Genome Sequencer 20 System won The Wall Street Journal's top Innovation Award for 2005, and received an R&D 100 Editor's Choice Award as one of the most technologically significant products in 2006. The 454 Sequencing Center offers sequencing services directly to customers on a fee for service basis. Genome Sequencer systems are exclusively distributed for 454 Life Sciences by Roche Applied Science, a division of Roche Diagnostics. For additional information please visit http://www.454.com.
Safe Harbor
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements include statements regarding future expectations, beliefs, intentions, goals, strategies, plans or prospects regarding the future, including expectations for the new Genome Sequencer FLX. Such statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. 454 Life Sciences and CuraGen caution investors that there can be no assurance that actual results or business conditions will not differ materially from those projected or suggested in such forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, the following: the early stage of development of 454 Life Sciences' products and technologies; customer acceptance of 454 Life Sciences' products and technologies; 454 Life Sciences' ability to scale-up production of its products and technologies; disputes between 454 Life Sciences and CuraGen; the success of competing products and technologies; technological uncertainty and product development risks; uncertainties of clinical trials, government regulation and healthcare reform; uncertainty of additional funding with respect to both CuraGen and 454 Life Sciences; 454 Life Sciences' and CuraGen's history of incurring losses and the uncertainty of achieving profitability; CuraGen's stage of development as a biopharmaceutical company; patent infringement claims against 454 Life Sciences' and CuraGen's products, processes and technologies; the ability to protect 454 Life Sciences' and CuraGen's patents and proprietary rights; uncertainties relating to commercialization rights; product liability exposure; and competition. Please refer to CuraGen's Annual and Quarterly Reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q for a complete description of these risks. 454 Life Sciences and CuraGen disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
454(R) is a registered trademark of 454 Life Sciences Corporation. 454 Life Sciences(TM), Genome Sequencer 20(TM), Genome Sequencer FLX (TM), PicoTiterPlate(TM), and 454 Sequencing(TM) are trademarks of 454 Life Sciences Corporation. CRGN-454 CuraGen Corporation Noonan Russo Glenn Schulman Benjamin Carmichael Assistant Director of IR benjamin.carmichael@eurorscg.cominfo@curagen.com (212) 845-4242 (888) 436-6642
CuraGen Corporation; 454 Life Sciences CorporationCONTACT: Glenn Schulman, Assistant Director of IR, CuraGen Corporation,info@curagen.com, +1-888-436-6642; Benjamin Carmichael, of Noonan Russo forCuraGen Corporation, benjamin.carmichael@eurorscg.com, +1-212-845-4242
Web site: http://www.454.com/
