New Delhi, March 5, 2012: Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE) today announced the introduction in India of the new benchtop Ion Proton™ Sequencer that is designed to sequence the entire human genome in a day for $1,000. The Ion Proton™ Sequencer, based on semiconductor technology is the latest next-generation sequencing platform developed by Life Technologies that has made its predecessor, the Ion Personal Genome Machine™ (PGM™), the fastest-selling sequencer in the world.
Until now, it has taken weeks to months to sequence a human genome at a cost of $5,000 to $10,000 using optical-based sequencing technologies. The slow pace and the high instrument costs ranging between $500,000to $750,000 have limited human genome sequencing to a relatively few, heavily-funded research labs.
The Ion Proton™ Sequencer is the first benchtop next-generation sequencer- which enables human and plant whole genome sequencing in a day at a fraction of the current equipment and running costs. Powered by Ion Torrent™ semiconductor chip technology, the Ion Proton™ Sequencer is the first benchtop next-generation sequencer to offer fast, affordable human genome and human exome sequencing. Powered by the nextgeneration of semiconductor sequencing technology and offering a similar single-day workflow to the Ion PGM™ Sequencer, the Ion Proton™ Sequencer promises to change the way scientists look at genomics.
“The Ion Proton uses semiconductor sequencing technology, leap-frogging optical technology that may take months to deliver their results,” said Life Technologies Chairman & Chief Executive Officer Gregory T. Lucier at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference held in San Francisco on Jan. 10th 2012.
“Just six months after our first semiconductor sequencing chip was released, people used it to solve the German E. coli outbreak, sequencing the toxic strain in just a couple of hours,” said Dr. Jonathan M. Rothberg, the Founder and CEO of the Ion Torrent division. “Now, six months later we’re developing a chip that’s 1,000 times more powerful than that to sequence an entire human genome in about the same amount of time. That’s the power that semiconductors bring to sequencing.”
Two well-known genomic laboratories in India have placed orders for the Ion Proton. (One of the orders was placed by Genotypic Technologies, India’s premium genomics service provider. Dr. Raja Mugasimangalam, CEO of Genotypic Technologies, had this to say about the Ion Proton™: “The simplicity of the technology and higher throughputs without upgrades as well as Life Technologies’ strong presence in India gives us the confidence to adopt this technology”. Mr. Lucier, will introduce the Ion Proton™ in India during the week of March 5th at two events: “Innovation Update” in New Delhi and Bangalore. His introduction will be followed up by technical seminars on the capabilities of the Ion Proton™ and how it will enable sequencing human genomes for about $1,000.
Between the benchtop Ion PGM™ Sequencer and the benchtop Ion Proton™ Sequencer, the Ion Torrent technology can cover any application. The Ion PGM™ Sequencer is ideal for sequencing genes, small genomes, panels of genes, or performing gene expression profiling, for as little as $99 a chip. The Ion Proton™ Sequencer is ideal for sequencing both exomes — regions in the DNA that code for protein — and human genomes.
All products referenced are for Research Use Only, and not intended for any animal or human therapeutic or diagnostic use.
About Life Technologies
Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE) is a global biotechnology company with customers in more than 160 countries using its innovative solutions to solve some of today’s most difficult scientific challenges. Quality and innovation are accessible to every lab with its reliable and easy-to-use solutions spanning the biological spectrum with more than 50,000 products for translational research, molecular medicine and diagnostics, stem cell-based therapies, forensics, food safety and animal health. Its systems, reagents and consumables represent some of the most cited brands in scientific research including: Ion Torrent™, Applied Biosystems®, Invitrogen™, GIBCO®, Ambion, Molecular® Probes, Novex®, and TaqMan®. Life Technologies employs approximately 10,400 people and upholds its ongoing commitment to innovation with more than 4,000 patents and exclusive licenses. LIFE had sales of $3.7 billion in 2011. Invitrogen Bioservices is the registered entity of Life Technologies in India. Visit us at our website: http://www.lifetechnologies.com.
Life Technologies’ Safe Harbor Statement
This press release includes forward-looking statements about our anticipated results that involve risks and uncertainties. Some of the information contained in this press release, including, but not limited to, statements as to industry trends and Life Technologies’ plans, objectives, expectations and strategy for its business, contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. When used, the words “believe,” “plan,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “target,” “estimate,” “expect” and the like, and/or future tense or conditional constructions (“will,” “may,” “could,” “should,” etc.), or similar expressions, identify certain of these forward-looking statements. Important factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are detailed in filings made by Life Technologies with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Life Technologies undertakes no obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
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