Harvard Medical School - Partners HealthCare Center for Genetics and Genomics to Launch Major Genotyping Study in Atherosclerosi
February 16 2005 - 7:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
Harvard Medical School - Partners HealthCare Center for Genetics
and Genomics to Launch Major Genotyping Study in Atherosclerosis
with Affymetrix Technology CAMBRIDGE, Mass., and SANTA CLARA,
Calif., Feb. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Today, the Harvard
Medical School - Partners HealthCare Center for Genetics and
Genomics (HPCGG) and Affymetrix, Inc. (NASDAQ:AFFX) announced an
agreement that will provide HPCGG with early access to
next-generation Affymetrix GeneChip(R) Human Mapping microarrays
capable of scanning up to 500,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms
(SNPs), or variations of DNA sequence in the human genome. The
Affymetrix technology will allow HPCGG researchers to investigate
at an unprecedented scale the genetic origins of atherosclerosis, a
condition where the arteries become clogged. More than 1,200
patient samples will be examined and will come from the Women's
Health Study, an ongoing 10-year National Institutes of Health
(NIH) funded study of cardiovascular events in 38,000 women. "Using
the Affymetrix microarrays, we can scan a whole genome for genetic
variation in just 24 to 48 hours. Prior to this technology, it
would have been inconceivable to genotype hundreds of patient
samples. Together with a large panel of serum markers from the
Women's Health Study, this will bring us a lot closer to
understanding the genetic contribution to inflammation and
cardiovascular disease, and predicting who may or may not be at
risk. Use of the microarrays in the HPCGG core technology
facilities will make this and other large scale gene-disease
association studies possible," said David Kwiatkowski, M.D., Ph.D.,
Director of Genotyping for HPCGG. Dr. Kwiatkowski is also a
principal investigator within the Donald W. Reynolds Center for
Cardiovascular Research at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH). The
Reynolds Foundation is funding this study. Co-investigators in this
project include Paul Ridker, M.D., Director of the Center for
Cardiovascular Disease Prevention at BWH. The Women's Health Study
is under the overall direction of Dr. Julie Buring, also of BWH.
Affymetrix arrays enable scientists to search the human genome and
identify genes contributing to complex diseases, such as
atherosclerosis, cancer and asthma. High-density GeneChip
microarrays interrogate hundreds of thousands of SNP markers per
individual for less than one cent per genotype. The substantial
cost savings compared with currently available methods is making
this atherosclerosis study, as well as other large-scale studies,
cost-effective for the first time. "The Affymetrix microarray
system will be a key component of the Harvard Medical School --
Partners HealthCare lab bench-to-bedside continuum, which
integrates genetics and genomics data into clinical decision
support. Discoveries of gene-disease associations can be rapidly
translated into clinical diagnostic tests by our team of
researchers and clinicians, bringing benefits to the patient in
months rather than years," said Raju Kucherlapati, Ph.D.,
Scientific Director of the HPCGG. Dr. Kucherlapati added that such
tests form the foundation of personalized medicine approaches that
HPCGG is seeking to advance -- the ability to select the best
treatment for the individual patient based on his or her genetic
profile. The early access arrangement with Affymetrix exemplifies
HPCGG's flexibility in adopting new technologies with the rigorous
quality controls of a production facility. In addition to
supporting HPCGG research, the new Affymetrix technology will
further strengthen the HPCGG core facilities supporting the broader
research community with genomic and other high throughput services.
The Center is among a handful of early access sites that will start
applying these new Affymetrix arrays to study real-world disease.
"From world-class research, to access to a major physician network
serving over 2 million patients, HPCGG has the resources needed to
start translating genomic results into better health care. We
believe that Affymetrix GeneChip technology, including our new
upcoming Mapping 500K arrays, will help researchers at HPCGG and
elsewhere to make discoveries that directly benefit patients," said
Greg Yap, Vice President, DNA Products, Affymetrix. The research is
expected to begin when the 500K arrays become available under a
limited release Early Access program in the first half of 2005.
About the Harvard/Partners Center for Genetics and Genomics HPCGG
is a joint enterprise between Harvard Medical School and Partners
HealthCare System, dedicated to accelerating the realization of
personalized medicine by discovering and integrating genetic
knowledge into the healthcare system. The Center combines
world-class scientific talent with access to a population of over 2
million patients and their physicians, providing a continuum of
resources and expertise to rapidly translate scientific discoveries
into treatments that benefit the patient. Through its educational
programs at Harvard Medical School and other academic institutions,
the Center has created the infrastructure to educate the medical
profession on personalized medicine approaches. The Center also
operates full-service genetic clinics for patients with known or
suspected genetic conditions, and core facilities and services for
genetic study design, DNA sequencing, genotyping, proteomics,
bioinformatics and microarrays. About Affymetrix Affymetrix
scientists invented the world's first high-density microarray in
1989 and began selling the first commercial microarray in 1994.
Since then, Affymetrix GeneChip(R) technology has become the
industry standard in molecular biology research. Affymetrix
technology is used by the world's top pharmaceutical, diagnostic
and biotechnology companies as well as leading academic, government
and not-for-profit research institutes. More than 1,000 systems
have been installed around the world and nearly 3,000 peer-reviewed
papers have been published using the technology. Affymetrix'
patented photolithographic manufacturing process provides the most
information capacity available today on an array, enabling
researchers to use a whole-genome approach to analyze the
relationship between genetics and health. Affymetrix is
headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., with manufacturing facilities
in Sacramento, Calif., and Bedford, Mass. The company maintains
important sales and marketing operations in Europe and Asia and has
about 900 employees worldwide. 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 Affymetrix' "expectations,"
"beliefs," "hopes," "intentions," "strategies" or the like. Such
statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause
actual results to differ materially for Affymetrix from those
projected, including, but not limited to risks of the Company's
ability to achieve and sustain higher levels of revenue, higher
gross margins, reduced operating expenses, uncertainties relating
to technological approaches, manufacturing, product development
(including uncertainties relating to the use of the 500K array and
outcome of the research project with HPCGG discussed in this press
release), personnel retention, uncertainties related to cost and
pricing of Affymetrix products, dependence on collaborative
partners, uncertainties relating to sole source suppliers,
uncertainties relating to FDA and other regulatory approvals,
competition, risks relating to intellectual property of others and
the uncertainties of patent protection and litigation. These and
other risk factors are discussed in Affymetrix' Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 2003 and other SEC reports, including its
Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for subsequent quarterly periods.
Affymetrix 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 Affymetrix'
expectations with regard thereto or any change in events,
conditions, or circumstances on which any such statements are
based. NOTE: Affymetrix, the Affymetrix logo, and GeneChip are
registered trademarks owned or used by Affymetrix, Inc. DATASOURCE:
Affymetrix, Inc. CONTACT: Wes Conard, Associate Director, Public
Relations, +1-408-731-5791, or Doug Farrell, Vice President,
Investor Relations, +1-408-731-5285, both of Affymetrix, Inc.; or
Heather Kowalski of Feinstein Kean Healthcare, +1-617-761-6796, or
, for Harvard Medical School - Partners HealthCare Center for
Genetics and Genomics Web site: http://www.affymetrix.com/
Copyright
Affymetrix (NASDAQ:AFFX)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jun 2024 to Jul 2024
Affymetrix (NASDAQ:AFFX)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jul 2023 to Jul 2024