AFFX Affymetrix, Inc.

Affymetrix Inc. (Nasdaq:AFFX) announced today that it has been selected by the SHARE (SNP Health Association REsource) project for a large-scale whole-genome association study. As part of the project, Affymetrix will collaborate with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) of the National Institutes of Health to identify genetic variants associated with heart, lung, blood and sleep disorders. The SHARE project will analyze more than 9,000 samples collected by the NHLBI and Boston University for the Framingham Heart Study. Clinicians have been using the Framingham Heart Study to track and measure data relating to cardiovascular disease since 1948. Data has been collected from more than 15,000 samples spanning three generations of individuals. For more information on the Framingham Heart Study, please visit: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/about/framingham/index.html "The Framingham Heart Study is one of the most recognized clinical research projects in history and we are honored that the NHLBI has entrusted the genotyping of these valuable samples to Affymetrix," said Giulia C. Kennedy, Ph.D., senior director of genomics collaborations at Affymetrix. "Researchers have been waiting for decades for the right technology to come along and extract the genetic information contained in these samples. When this project is complete, researchers around the globe will have access to one of the richest medical datasets in existence." The Affymetrix 500K Array is making it possible for researchers to conduct these types of large-scale whole-genome association studies today. The array offers a comprehensive view of the genome, enabling researchers to analyze 500,000 markers simultaneously and perform whole-genome analyses in large populations. Affymetrix scientists will provide the genotyping services. The company provides high quality genotyping services for large projects, such as the 15,000 sample study with the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium. As part of the SHARE project, researchers will develop a data resource that will integrate genome-wide genotypic information with phenotypic information from multiple NHLBI studies. The data will be available to the scientific community for further genome-wide association analyses and will complement the data included in the recently announced Affymetrix Control Program. "The SHARE project is extremely important and Affymetrix is excited to offer the genotyping technology and services," said Gregory Marcus, Ph.D., senior product manager at Affymetrix. "Our technology is making these large-scale studies possible and affordable today. After this project is completed, researchers will be able to run complementary data sets that can be used in conjunction with the data from the Framingham Heart Study." 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 1,400 systems have been installed around the world and more than 7,000 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 analyzing 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 1,100 employees worldwide. For more information about Affymetrix, please visit the company's website at www.affymetrix.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 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 and uncertainties associated with the agreement with the SHARE project discussed in this press release; 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; 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/A for the year ended December 31, 2005, 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.