AFFX Affymetrix, Inc.

Affymetrix Inc. (Nasdaq:AFFX) and NimbleGen Systems Inc. announced today that NimbleGen has obtained a non-exclusive, worldwide license to a number of Affymetrix patents covering the manufacture, use and sales of nucleic acid microarrays and related products and services in the research field. Financial details of the license were not disclosed. �This licensing agreement with NimbleGen follows from a commercial relationship and enables both companies to better serve customers within the growing microarray market,� said Alan Sherr, vice president and chief counsel for Licensing at Affymetrix. �Since the inception of our licensing program, Affymetrix has�signed many agreements that validate our position as�the�clear market�innovator and�leader. We look forward to the continued expansion of this program.� �This license is a major�milestone in NimbleGen's evolution as a company, and part of a fundamental expansion of our commercial strategy,� said Stan Rose, Ph.D.,�president and CEO of NimbleGen. �Our intent is to expand dramatically�the ability of scientists to access NimbleGen products and services.� About NimbleGen Systems NimbleGen Systems, the leading supplier of flexible high-density microarray products and services, is enabling a new era of High-Definition Genomics. NimbleGen uniquely produces high-density arrays of isothermal long oligos that provide superior results for advanced genomic analysis methods such as CGH, ChIP, microbial Comparative Genome Sequencing, and expression tiling. NimbleGen's High-Definition Genomics enables scientists to obtain and integrate complex genomic data sets not previously accessible, providing a much clearer understanding of genome structure and function, and how this relates to biology and medicine. This improved performance is made possible by NimbleGen's Maskless Array Synthesis (MAS) technology, which uses digital light processing and rapid, high-yield photochemistry to synthesize high-density DNA microarrays.�For more information about NimbleGen, please visit the company�s website at www.nimblegen.com. 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� 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 relating to commercial success of the licensing agreement with NimbleGen Systems 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. Affymetrix Inc. (Nasdaq:AFFX) and NimbleGen Systems Inc. announced today that NimbleGen has obtained a non-exclusive, worldwide license to a number of Affymetrix patents covering the manufacture, use and sales of nucleic acid microarrays and related products and services in the research field. Financial details of the license were not disclosed. "This licensing agreement with NimbleGen follows from a commercial relationship and enables both companies to better serve customers within the growing microarray market," said Alan Sherr, vice president and chief counsel for Licensing at Affymetrix. "Since the inception of our licensing program, Affymetrix has signed many agreements that validate our position as the clear market innovator and leader. We look forward to the continued expansion of this program." "This license is a major milestone in NimbleGen's evolution as a company, and part of a fundamental expansion of our commercial strategy," said Stan Rose, Ph.D., president and CEO of NimbleGen. "Our intent is to expand dramatically the ability of scientists to access NimbleGen products and services." About NimbleGen Systems NimbleGen Systems, the leading supplier of flexible high-density microarray products and services, is enabling a new era of High-Definition Genomics. NimbleGen uniquely produces high-density arrays of isothermal long oligos that provide superior results for advanced genomic analysis methods such as CGH, ChIP, microbial Comparative Genome Sequencing, and expression tiling. NimbleGen's High-Definition Genomics enables scientists to obtain and integrate complex genomic data sets not previously accessible, providing a much clearer understanding of genome structure and function, and how this relates to biology and medicine. This improved performance is made possible by NimbleGen's Maskless Array Synthesis (MAS) technology, which uses digital light processing and rapid, high-yield photochemistry to synthesize high-density DNA microarrays. For more information about NimbleGen, please visit the company's website at www.nimblegen.com. 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 relating to commercial success of the licensing agreement with NimbleGen Systems 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.