AFFX Affymetrix, Inc.

Affymetrix Inc. (Nasdaq:AFFX) and Partners HealthCare announced today that they have entered into a three-year translational research collaboration to develop microarray-based diagnostics for complex diseases such as newborn hearing loss, autism and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Under the terms of the agreement, Partners researchers at Harvard Medical School (HMS), Partners HealthCare and Harvard Medical School-Partners HealthCare Center for Genetics and Genomics (HPCGG) will create and validate microarray tests in Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) laboratories. "This collaboration with Affymetrix will allow us to better translate innovations and research discoveries at Partners into highly valuable clinical diagnostic tests and technologies that will improve patient management and care," said Trung Do, executive director of business development at Partners HealthCare. Over the past decade, there have been hundreds of microarray studies -- expression and genotyping -- with potential diagnostic implications. However, these discoveries have rarely translated into validated diagnostic tests. Researchers at HPCGG will now be able to validate their discovery data in an easily accessible CLIA environment. Scientists will use Affymetrix GeneChip(R) genotyping, resequencing and expression technologies in the CLIA lab to more rapidly apply RNA and DNA patterns in tests that can better classify, manage and treat complex diseases. "Many of the health problems being tackled by today's medicine are multifaceted and complex," said Raju Kucherlapati, Ph.D., professor of Genetics at HMS and scientific director of HPCGG. "One way to address these challenges is through technology, making it possible for us to develop tests for both complex and multiple genetic disorders. These tests will be available throughout the Partners community at substantially reduced cost to researchers." "We are delighted to be working with one of the leading organizations in personalized healthcare to help accelerate the translation of genetic research," said Fred Pollock, associate director of translational medicine at Affymetrix. "By offering the Affymetrix microarray-based diagnostics and screening tests in CLIA environments, we can help physicians deliver more effective personalized treatments that have received the appropriate validation and clearance." Affymetrix and HPCGG estimate that it may take a year to develop the first chip-based diagnostic test for use in HPCGG's CLIA-approved lab. The CLIA-validated tests will first be offered to patients in the Partners HealthCare System. Affymetrix collaborates with academic institutions, advocacy groups, and the pharmaceutical and diagnostics community through its Translational Medicine Program to develop molecular signatures for improving patient care. Affymetrix GeneChip microarray technology helps researchers to diagnose and tailor treatments for individual patients by identifying and measuring the genetic information associated with complex diseases. The Translational Medicine Program complements the Powered by Affymetrix(TM) program, which enables companies to license GeneChip technology to create innovative custom-designed microarray products based on signatures such as those of our Translational Medicine partners. This technology is already being used in many applications, including diagnostics, forensics, animal, industrial and food testing. About Partners HealthCare Partners HealthCare was founded in 1994 by Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. Partners is an integrated healthcare delivery system that offers patients throughout the region a continuum of coordinated, high-quality care. The system includes primary care and specialty physicians, community hospitals, the two founding academic medical centers, specialty facilities, community health centers, home-based services and other health-related entities. Partners HealthCare is a non-profit organization. More information is available at www.partners.org. About Harvard Medical School-Partners HealthCare Center for Genetics and Genomics HPCGG combines world-class scientific talent with access to a population of more than 2 million patients and their physicians, providing a continuum of resources and expertise to rapidly translate scientific discoveries into diagnoses and treatments that benefit patients. 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 clinics for patients with known or suspected genetic conditions, as well as core facilities and services for genetic study design, DNA sequencing, genotyping, proteomics, bioinformatics and microarrays. More information is available at www.hpcgg.org 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 Harvard-Partners Center for Genetics and Genomics 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.