SAN DIEGO, Oct. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Gen-Probe Incorporated announced today that it has been issued U.S. Patent No. 7,118,892, which extends the Company’s intellectual property estate relating to integrated instrument systems for nucleic acid testing.
The newly issued patent claims relate to automated processes for isolating, purifying and amplifying target nucleic acid sequences in a stand-alone unit. The patent complements 11 other U.S. patents previously issued to Gen-Probe related to automated instrument systems for nucleic acid testing. Gen-Probe’s TIGRIS(R) system is the first integrated, fully automated, high-throughput nucleic acid testing system for clinical diagnostics and blood screening.
“This important new patent extends what was already a strong intellectual property estate surrounding automated instrumentation for molecular diagnostics, and recognizes our pioneering role in the field,” said Pete Shearer, vice president, intellectual property for Gen-Probe. “Our proprietary automation technologies have helped deliver highly sensitive molecular diagnostics techniques to clinical and blood testing laboratories, where medical technologists are in short supply.”
Gen-Probe currently has 214 active U.S. patents and 210 active non-U.S. patents.
All issued U.S. patents can be viewed on the website of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office at www.uspto.gov.
About Gen-Probe
Gen-Probe Incorporated is a global leader in the development, manufacture and marketing of rapid, accurate and cost-effective nucleic acid tests (NATs) that are used primarily to diagnose human diseases and screen donated human blood. Gen-Probe has more than 20 years of NAT expertise, and received the 2004 National Medal of Technology, America’s highest honor for technological innovation, for developing NAT assays for blood screening. Gen-Probe is headquartered in San Diego and employs approximately 900 people. For more information, go to www.gen-probe.com.
Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Any statements in this press release about Gen-Probe’s expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not historical facts and are forward-looking statements. These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as believe, will, expect, anticipate, estimate, intend, plan and would. For example, statements concerning Gen-Probe’s current and future intellectual property, delivering value to patients and shareholders, and obtaining new patents are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance. They involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that may cause actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statement. Some of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from estimates or projections contained in the forward-looking statements include but are not limited to: (i) the risk that we may not be issued additional patents, (ii) the risk that our intellectual property may be infringed by third parties or invalidated, (iii) our involvement in patent and other intellectual property and commercial litigation could be expensive and could divert management’s attention, (iv) we may not be able to develop new products successfully using our intellectual property, and (v) we may not be able to compete effectively. The foregoing describes some, but not all, of the factors that could affect our ability to achieve results described in any forward-looking statements. For additional information about risks and uncertainties we face and a discussion of our financial statements and footnotes, see documents we file with the SEC, including our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and all subsequent periodic reports. We assume no obligation and expressly disclaim any duty to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news release or to reflect the occurrence of subsequent events.
Contact: Michael Watts Sr. director, investor relations and corporate communications 858-410-8673
Gen-Probe Incorporated
CONTACT: Michael Watts, Sr. director, investor relations and corporatecommunications of Gen-Probe, +1-858-410-8673
Web site: http://www.gen-probe.com/
