Sequenom Inc. Expands Non-Invasive Prenatal Diagnostic Intellectual Property Portfolio

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sequenom, Inc. , a leading provider of fine mapping genotyping, methylation and gene expression analysis solutions, today announced that it has acquired exclusive rights in territories including the United States, Europe, Australia, Canada and Japan as well as non-exclusive rights in China, to non-invasive prenatal diagnostic intellectual property from The Chinese University of Hong Kong. The licensed intellectual property expands upon Sequenom's pre-existing portfolio of patent rights related to non-invasive prenatal genetic analysis methods using fetal nucleic acids obtained from maternal serum or plasma. These newly acquired rights include methods of fetal nucleic acid analysis using methylation marker and gene expression analysis on a maternal blood, serum, or plasma sample. As part of the agreement, Sequenom also obtained exclusive rights to a portfolio of methylation and nucleic acid markers. Financial terms were not disclosed.

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"We continue to build our non-invasive prenatal diagnostic intellectual property portfolio on a platform-independent basis, and these licensed rights provide us with expanded opportunities," said Harry Stylli, Ph.D., Sequenom's President and Chief Executive Officer. "These newly acquired rights are important because they provide us with an opportunity to expand our technology offering beyond genetic analysis of fetal DNA to include epigenetic and expression analysis. In view of our pre-existing intellectual property, these additional methods of analysis may provide alternative or complementary paths to a sensitive and specific non-invasive prenatal aneuploidy solution, and more generally, may potentially reduce or avoid the technical hurdles for developing assays for a broad range of non-invasive prenatal tests."

Application of this newly acquired technology was previously reported by Sequenom by reference to a research study published in the Nature Medicine advance online publication, January 7, 2007 (doi:10.1038/nm1530) and now available in the February 2007 print issue of Nature Medicine, volume 13, issue 2, showing the non-invasive prenatal determination of fetal trisomy 21 (Down syndrome) using Sequenom's MassARRAY(R) technology platform.

The licensed technology was invented by Professor Dennis Lo and others at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Professor Lo is a world renowned researcher in the field of non-invasive prenatal genetic analysis. These newly acquired intellectual property rights build upon the broad, non-invasive prenatal diagnostic intellectual property rights that Sequenom previously licensed from Isis Innovation, Ltd., the technology transfer company of the University of Oxford (England).

About The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Founded in 1963, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is a forward looking comprehensive research university with a global vision and a mission to combine tradition with modernity, and to bring together China and the West. CUHK teachers and students hail from all corners of the world. In 2006, CUHK had more than 5,200 staff members, approximately 10,000 undergraduate and 2,000 research postgraduate students. Of these students, some 2,500 are from 45 countries and regions outside Hong Kong. The University received research funding of close to HK$1 billion in the 2005-06 academic year from various local and overseas sources. Three research areas led by CUHK staff have been selected as three of only eight Areas of Excellence funded by the University Grants Committee. CUHK research centres have close collaboration with mainland China and overseas institutions. Many research products have been put into practical use through technology transfer and spin-off companies. Technology transfer at CUHK is handled by the Technology and Licensing Office headed by Ms. Alice Ngan.

About Sequenom

Sequenom is committed to providing the best genetic analysis products that translate genomic science into superior solutions for biomedical research, agricultural applications, molecular medicine, and non-invasive prenatal testing. The Company's proprietary MassARRAY system is a high-performance nucleic acid analysis platform that efficiently and precisely measures the amount of genetic target material and variations therein. The system is able to deliver reliable and specific data from complex biological samples and from genetic target material that is only available in trace amounts. The Company has exclusively licensed intellectual property rights for the development and commercialization of non-invasive prenatal genetic tests for use with the MassARRAY system and other platforms.

Sequenom(R) and MassARRAY(R) are trademarks of SEQUENOM, Inc.

Except for the historical information contained in this press release, the matters set forth herein, including statements regarding Sequenom's opportunities based on the acquired intellectual property rights including the potential provision of alternative or complementary paths to a sensitive and specific non-invasive prenatal aneuploidy solution and potential reduction or avoidance of technical hurdles for developing assays for a broad range of non-invasive prenatal tests, and Sequenom's plans to develop and commercialize non-invasive prenatal genetic tests for use with the MassARRAY system and other platforms, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including the risks and uncertainties associated with reliance upon the collaborative efforts of other parties, new technology development, product development and commercialization, competition, government regulation, obtaining or maintaining regulatory approvals, market acceptance of technology and products including Sequenom's non-invasive prenatal diagnostic technology, and other risks detailed from time to time in Sequenom's SEC filings, including Sequenom's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005, Sequenom's most recently filed quarterly report on Form 10-Q, and other documents subsequently filed with or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). These forward-looking statements are based on current information that is likely to change. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, and Sequenom undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the issuance of this press release.

CONTACT: John Sharp, Principal Financial Officer of Sequenom, Inc.,+1-858-202-9032; or Investor Relations, Zachary Bryant, zbryant@lhai.com,or Jody Cain, jcain@lhai.com, both of Lippert/Heilshorn & Associates,+1-310-691-7100, for Sequenom, Inc.