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| genetic disease, genetic engineering, custom chip design, genotyping services, human high-throughput genotyping, microarray design, genome, Apex, development, arrayed primer extension, SNP, genomics, genetic testing services, SNP tests, DNA chip, arrayed primer extension, microarray scanner, p53, drug development, diagnostics, personalized treatment, human medicine, SNP, biotechnology, technology transfer, gene, DNA test |
NEWS of 2002
The publication “Reliable Detection of beeta-Thalassemia and G6PD Mutations by a DNA Microarray” (Gemignani F. et al.) was published in Clinical Chemistry 48, No 11 2002, 2051 –2054. The scientists set up an assay for parallel one-shot detection of 17 beeta-thalassemia and G6PD mutations commonly found in Mediterranean population. The results indicated very high levels of accuracy for the APEX (Arrayed Primer Extension) technology. For example: *TP - true positive TN - true negative FP - false positive FN - false negative The results, along with the low reagent costs and short processing time for the microarray, indicate a potential use of this technology for screening programs. This approach may be expanded to other common diseases, such as alpha-thalassemia, Wilson disease, or cystic fibrosis.
The firms will offer genotyping services for medium- and large-scale projects, including DNA analysis, bioinformatics, and microarray printing.
They will also market the Genorama QuattroImager, a microarray imaging and analysis system developed by Asper.
Financial details of the partnership were not disclosed.
Asper Biotech, based in Tartu, Estonia, sells high-throughput SNP-genotyping instruments. Its partners include EGeen.
Sunergia
Medical is a division of Sunergia Group, which is based in Reston, Va. It
sells instruments, software, supplies and services for biotechnology
research, focusing on genomics and proteomics.
Asper shall be represented by two customer relations officers, as well as three scientists. We hope to be able to provide a thorough overview of Asper's technology and applications. Asper welcomes all existing partners, and everyone interested in collaborating with Asper to attend the conference and the meeting. In order to arrange a meeting in Baltimore, please email info@asperbio.com.
The well known audit and business advisory company chose Asper as one of 50 fastest developing technology based companies in Central Europe. Asper placed 4th in the final ranking, and was the only life sciences company in the listing. The “Fast 50 Technology Companies in Central Europe” list was comprised by Deloitte & Touche after evaluating more than 12000 companies in the region. The award ceremony took place in Riga, Latvia, on October 1st, Asper, as one of the top nominations, is giving a presentation about the company and its strategy. Asper’s CEO Indrek Kask says, “Being chosen as one of the fastest developing technology firms in the region recognizes our scientists’ dedicated work during several years, and the soundness of the company’s long term vision and focus!” The award is already a second recognition for Asper in a month. In September, Asper was given the PriceWaterhouseCoopers Functional Gene Technology Award. Asper Biotech (www.asperbio.com) is an innovative Genomics company that offers a complete genotyping solution for leading research institutions worldwide. Asper’s proprietary Genorama genotyping platform allows researchers to use high-throughput SNP screening and mutation detection. Our biggest customers include the Stanford University, Columbia University in NYC, and International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France. Please send detailed inquiries about the company or the award to info@asperbio.com. More
information about the Deloitte & Touche Technology Fast 50 Program is
available at: http://www.deloittece.com/fast50/.
Asper Biotech has signed agreements for distribution and marketing of its Genorama TM Microarray Slides and Spotting Solutions with Labnet for the Finnish market, and Acefe S.A. in Spain. The firms shall be exclusive resellers for the products mentioned above in their respective countries. Asper sees both new partnerships as allowing closer relations to its customers, shorter delivery terms and lower transportation costs. Labnet - You can contact Labnet at their website http://www.labnet.fi/ or contact Maria Mecklin at maria.mecklin@rake.fi. Acefe S.A. - You can contact Acefe S.A. at their website http://www.acefesa.es/ or via email at acefesa@retemail.es.
Asper Biotech (www.asperbio.com) starts offering DNA resequencing/mutation detection service of TP53 tumor supressor gene based on arrayed primer extension. The TP53 gene chip spans exons 2-9 plus two introns from both strands and contains more than 95% of the mutations described so far in TP53. Asper's analysis platform enables fast, accurate and cost-effective identification of known and novel TP53 gene mutations. Contact info@asperbio.com for more information.
Asper Biotech has launched the GenoramaTM Spotting Solutions product line as a part of its long-term strategy to become a full solution provider for its microarray partners. GenoramaTM Spotting Solutions are designed to be used with the GenoramaTM Microarray Slides, but are also compatible with other commercially available pre-coated slides. Asper Biotech offers GenoramaTM Spotting Solutions for both pre-coated slides. GenoramaTM Spotting Solution Type I is for spotting on SAL slides, and Type II for spotting on SA slides. The slides can be ordered from Asper Biotech, and its distributors. Please contact slides@asperbio.com for further information and orders.
The event will feature a live demo of a full genotyping application, including the Apex reaction, the scanning of the slides, and analysis of the data. Interested persons please register via email (info@asperbio.com), as the number or participants is limited. People invited to the event do not have to register. Asper would like to thank Dr. Janne Saarela for her cooperation and support in the process of organizing the event. The demo takes place in
meeting room 8-9. P-floor.
Asper
will have ten representatives altogether at the conference/exhibition.
Asper’s scientific staff will mostly be attending the lectures and
seminars for exchange of ideas and discussions with colleagues.
Asper will have two representatives at the upcoming HGM2002 exhibition/conference.
Ms. Merike Leego, Marketing Director and Neeme Tõnisson, MD, Director of
Genotyping Applications, will take part in the conference and present
Asper Biotech and its GenoramaTM product family to the
biotechnology communities as well as exchange ideas, contacts etc with
practitioners/colleagues from all around the globe.
PRINCETON, N.J., and TARTU, Estonia, Jan. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Orchid BioSciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: ORCH - news) and Asper Biotech, Ltd. today announced that they have signed an agreement under which Orchid has granted Asper a non-exclusive license to Orchid's proprietary SNP-IT(TM) primer extension SNP scoring technology for use in a slide-based array format targeted to the research market. Under the terms of the agreement, Orchid will receive an upfront payment and royalties on future product sales. Further details of the agreement were not disclosed. We are pleased to license SNP-IT to innovative companies like Asper who are developing new tools for SNP genotyping,'' said Russell Granzow, vice president of corporate development and strategy of Orchid. ``This agreement with Asper is another example of our highly successful Platform Propagation(TM) strategy, which capitalizes on the ability of Orchid's market leading SNP-IT technology to be easily adapted to a variety of read-out methods and instrument platforms.'' Asper is using SNP-IT as the biochemistry that powers Genorama(TM), a new four-color, slide array-based SNP scoring product that is targeted to customers who are conducting medium throughput genotyping projects. Asper has a long history of involvement with leading SNP scoring technologies. Dr. Andres Metspalu, who is a founder and currently serves as chief scientific officer of Asper, is one of the scientists responsible for the early development of primer extension approaches to genotyping. Asper also is working closely with the Estonian Gene Bank Project and EGeen, its commercial arm, in its efforts to bring together the Estonian government, health care system and citizens to develop population genetics databases and products. "Combining the accuracy and flexibility of Orchid's premier SNP scoring technology with Asper's innovative four-color, slide-based platform enables us to offer a genotyping system that we believe provides exceptional simplicity, versatility and quality,'' said Kalev Kask, Ph.D., vice president of strategic development of Asper. "We view this agreement with Orchid as a significant step toward our goal of becoming a leading provider of genotyping products and services.'' About Asper Asper Biotech, Ltd., a privately held biotechnology company headquartered in Tartu, Estonia, began operations in 1999 as a post-genomics company utilizing its Genorama genotyping platform for high throughput, low cost genotyping and for developing analytical kits for the personalized treatment of human disease. Asper aims to become a leading provider of genotyping and genotyping information technology solutions for research, diagnostics, personalized medicine, and drug development. It targets customers in life science academic and clinical research, as well as in the diagnostic, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. More information on Asper can be found at its web site http://www.asperbio.com . About Orchid Orchid BioSciences' five business units are leading providers of products, services and technologies for genetic diversity analyses and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) scoring. Orchid's proprietary SNP analysis technology, SNP-IT, powers the SNPstream® instruments, SNPware(TM) consumables and high throughput SNP scoring services sold by Orchid Life Sciences to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agricultural and academic customers. The versatility of SNP-IT has enabled Orchid to partner with industry leaders to make SNP-IT-enabled products available on a wide variety of instrument platforms as part of Orchid's Platform Propagation strategy. Orchid provides identity genomics testing for paternity and forensics through its Orchid GeneScreen and Orchid Cellmark business units. Orchid Diagnostics markets products and services for HLA typing, disease susceptibility testing and immunogenetics, and Orchid GeneShield is developing programs that it expects will accelerate the adoption of personalized medicine. More information on Orchid can be found at its web site http://www.orchid.com . All statements in this press release that
are not historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of
Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act as amended, including
statements regarding Orchid's expectation that the programs it is
developing will accelerate the adoption of personalized medicine. Such
statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
results to differ materially from those projected, including, but not
limited to, uncertainties relating to technologies, product development,
manufacturing, market acceptance, cost and pricing of Orchid products,
dependence on collaborations and partners, regulatory approvals,
competition, intellectual property of others, and patent protection and
litigation. Orchid does not intend to update any of the forward-looking
statements after the date of this release to conform these statements to
actual results or to changes in its expectations, except as may be
required by law. These risks and other additional factors affecting
Orchid's business are discussed in Orchid's registration statement on Form
S-4, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which registration
statement became effective on November 5, 2001 and in reports filed by
Orchid with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time.
Orchid expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release
publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements
contained herein to reflect any change in Orchid's expectations with
regard thereto or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on
which any such statements are based.
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