SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nanogen, Inc. (Nasdaq: NGEN - News), developer of molecular and rapid diagnostic products, announced today that it has expanded its partnership with HandyLab, Inc. by signing a licensing and supply agreement for use of the company’s proprietary Minor Groove Binder (MGB) Probe technology and synthetic nucleic acid chemistries, including dyes and quenchers, for use in in vitro diagnostic testing. Under the licensing agreement, HandyLab receives a non-exclusive license to market, sell and distribute PCR test kits utilizing Nanogen’s patented technology for use on HandyLab’s Jaguar System and other HandyLab systems. Terms of the agreement include an upfront license fee and a commitment to supply HandyLab with Nanogen’s proprietary PCR products.
“Our proprietary MGB technology continues to be the cornerstone for many real-time PCR assays in the rapidly expanding molecular diagnostics market,” said David Ludvigson, Nanogen’s President and Chief Operating Officer. “HandyLab will use our PCR products together with their automated testing platform to provide a complete testing solution for molecular laboratories.”
“HandyLab is excited to pair our novel Jaguar automated nucleic acid test system with Nanogen’s proven MGB chemistry technology,” said Jeff Williams, President and Chief Executive Officer of HandyLab. “This agreement positions us as a fully integrated company with a unique solution for the molecular diagnostic market.”
This licensing agreement marks the expansion of an already established partnership. In 2008, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) awarded a $10.4 million, two-year contract to Nanogen for the development of a multi-analyte molecular diagnostic assay for Influenza. The Influenza test is being developed for use with the HandyLab microfluidic real-time PCR Raider instrument.
Nanogen’s MGB technology is licensed broadly in various fields and is now an integral component in thousands of PCR probe products. Nanogen has more than 35 reagent and kit products that are sold for clinical diagnostic use under the MGB Alert® and Q-PCR Alert™ brands.
About Nanogen, Inc.
Nanogen, Inc. develops diagnostic products that enable physicians to deliver improved patient care. Its products allow faster and easier diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of cardiovascular disease and a range of infectious diseases. The company’s products include molecular diagnostic kits and reagents, and kits for rapid point-of-care testing. Nanogen has pioneered the development of biomarkers, molecular biology technologies and nanotechnology to bring better results to diagnostics and healthcare. For additional information please visit Nanogen’s website at www.nanogen.com
About HandyLab, Inc.
HandyLab is dedicated to the development, manufacture and sale of novel molecular diagnostic products based on its patented and proprietary microfluidic real-time PCR and nucleic acid extraction technologies. The company’s systems reduce the time, complexity and cost of nucleic acid testing while simultaneously improving the quality of results for infectious disease, genetic and other molecular diagnostic tests. For additional information please visit HandyLab’s website at www.handylab.com.
Nanogen Forward-Looking Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements, including whether patents owned or licensed by Nanogen will be developed into products, whether the patents owned by Nanogen offer any protection against competitors with competing technologies, whether products under development can be successfully developed and commercialized, whether results reported by our customers or partners can be identically replicated, and other risks and uncertainties discussed under the caption “Factors That May Affect Results” and elsewhere in Nanogen’s Form 10-K or Form 10-Q most recently filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. Nanogen disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
Contact:
Nanogen, Inc. Nick Venuto Chief Financial Officer 858-410-4600 or Kelly Gann Marketing Communications 858-410-4667 kgann@nanogen.com
