ROCHE BIOSCIENCE AND AFFYMETRIX SIGN DNA CHIP
AGREEMENT FOR GENE EXPRESSION MONITORING
PALO ALTO, Calif. and SANTA CLARA, Calif., January 8, 1997 -- Roche Bioscience and Affymetrix, Inc. (Nasdaq: AFFX) announced today that they have signed an agreement under which Roche Bioscience will evaluate the Affymetrix GeneChip™ technology to monitor gene expression.
Under terms of the agreement, Affymetrix will supply Roche Bioscience with GeneChip™ instruments and custom DNA probe arrays containing genes selected by Roche Bioscience. Roche Bioscience will use the Affymetrix DNA probe arrays to quantitatively detect differences in gene expression in a variety of disease states.
This is the second agreement between entities in the Roche Pharmaceuticals Division and Affymetrix. In October 1996, F. Hoffmann-La Roche in Basel and Affymetrix entered into an agreement to monitor expression patterns in H. influenzae and S. Pneumoniae.
Located in Palo Alto, Calif., Roche Bioscience is a research-based, business-oriented enterprise dedicated to the discovery and early clinical development of innovative prescription drugs. Roche Bioscience is a member of the Roche Group, headquartered in Basel, Switzerland.
Affymetrix, Inc. has developed and intends to establish its GeneChip system as the platform of choice for acquiring, analyzing and managing complex genetic information to improve the diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of disease. The GeneChip system is being applied in a broad range of fields including biomedical research, clinical diagnostics and genomics. Affymetrix completed its initial public offering in June of 1996.
Except for the historical information contained herein, the statements made in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Investors are cautioned that such statements are only predictions and that actual events or results may differ materially. Affymetrix undertakes no obligation to release publicly the result of any revisions to the forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Factors that could affect the performance of Affymetrix are more fully described in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to Affymetrix's Registration Statement on Form S-1 dated June 6, 1996 and Quarterly Report ended June 30, 1996 on Form 10-Q filed on August 12, 1996.
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