BRANFORD, Conn., Oct. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CuraGen Corporation announced today Mary L. Schramke, Ph.D., MBA, has joined 454 Life Sciences as Vice President of Marketing. Dr. Schramke will be responsible for 454 Life Sciences' overall marketing activities including further developing 454 Life Sciences' brand identity, expanding the 454 product portfolio, and managing the strategic distribution partnership with Roche Applied Sciences.
"We are delighted to welcome Mary Schramke to 454 Life Sciences," commented Christopher K. McLeod, President and CEO of 454 Life Sciences Corporation. "Mary's scientific background and wealth of experience in life sciences product development and marketing makes her ideally suited to lead 454 Life Sciences' marketing and commercialization efforts."
Dr. Frank Armstrong, President and CEO of CuraGen Corporation added, "I am delighted that Mary has joined 454 Life Sciences, and we are confident that her addition to the team will drive value creation for the shareholders of both CuraGen and 454 Life Sciences."
Dr. Schramke joins the company from Solexa, Inc. (formerly Lynx Therapeutics, Inc.). Most recently, she was Vice President and General Manager, Genomic Services. Dr. Schramke served as Acting CEO of Lynx from December 2004 through March 2005, responsible for completion of the merger transaction between Lynx and Solexa, Ltd., UK. Prior to that she was Vice President of Product Development at Lynx where she led technology development and strategic partnerships, with a specific focus on DNA sequencing instrumentation and applications. Dr. Schramke joined Lynx in 2003 as Senior Director of Business Development.
Earlier in her career, Dr. Schramke held positions of increasing responsibility in business development and marketing for life sciences tools and services, informatics, and bio-pharmaceutical companies such as Bio-Rad Laboratories, CLONTECH Laboratories, Cellomics, Inc., and Hyseq Pharmaceuticals.
Dr. Schramke earned her Ph.D. in microbiology from Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge, and completed her post-doctoral training in plant genetics at the University of Missouri-Columbia. She also holds an MBA from John F. Kennedy University.
About 454 Life Sciences
454 Life Sciences, established in 2000 as a majority-owned subsidiary of CuraGen Corporation , develops and commercializes novel instrumentation for high-throughput nucleotide sequencing, with specific application to whole-genome sequencing 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. The Genome Sequencer 20(TM) System enables one individual to prepare and sequence an entire genome, regardless of size. A single instrument using patented light emitting sequencing chemistries produces over 20 million nucleotide bases per five-hour run, more than 60 times the capacity of currently available instruments. 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 Award as one of the most technologically significant products introduced in 2006. The 454 Sequencing Center offers sequencing services directly to customers on a fee for service basis. The Genome Sequencer 20 system is exclusively distributed for 454 Life Sciences by Roche Applied Science, a division of Roche Diagnostics. For additional information please visit http://www.454.com.
About CuraGen
CuraGen Corporation is a biopharmaceutical company developing diverse approaches, including novel protein, antibody, and small molecule therapeutics, that aim to offer hope for patients with cancer, inflammatory diseases, and diabetes. CuraGen's strategic alliances have resulted in a pipeline of potential therapeutics that is being developed by the Company's experienced research and development teams. By leveraging the drug development strengths cultivated over the years, CuraGen expects to make a difference in the lives of patients by bringing forward promising therapeutics that address unmet medical needs. To further capitalize on CuraGen's extensive research and development expertise, CuraGen founded a majority-owned subsidiary, 454 Life Sciences, which has developed and is commercializing advanced technologies for the sequencing of DNA. CuraGen is headquartered in Branford, Connecticut. For additional information please visit http://www.curagen.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 the ability to drive value creation for the shareholders of both CuraGen and 454 Life Sciences, further development of the 454 Life Sciences' brand and expansion of the 454 product portfolio. 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), PicoTiterPlate(TM), and 454 Sequencing(TM) are trademarks of 454 Life Sciences Corporation.
crgn-454 Contacts: CuraGen Corporation Noonan Russo Glenn Schulman Benjamin Carmichael Assistant Director, IR benjamin.carmichael@eurorscg.cominfo@curagen.com (212) 845-4242 (888) 436-6642
CuraGen Corporation; 454 Life SciencesCONTACT: Glenn Schulman, Assistant Director, IR, of CuraGen Corporation,+1-888-436-6642, info@curagen.com; or Benjamin Carmichael of Noonan Russofor CuraGen Corporation, +1-212-845-4242, benjamin.carmichael@eurorscg.com
