AFFX Affymetrix, Inc.

Affymetrix, ParAllele and Cambridge University Collaborate for Large-Scale Genetic Study of Diabetes Candidate-Gene Association Study to Use Standard Panel of More Than 10,000 Coding SNPs and Genotype Over 2,000 People SANTA CLARA, Calif., SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. and CAMBRIDGE, England, July 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Affymetrix, Inc. (NASDAQ:AFFX) and ParAllele BioScience announced today that scientists at Cambridge University will use GeneChip(R) Tag Arrays and MegAllele(TM) genotyping reagents in one of the most informative genetic studies of type 1 diabetes ever planned. This study utilizes the new products resulting from the recent partnership between Affymetrix and ParAllele, enabling researchers to perform large-scale genotyping in their own labs with their own panels of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). (For an interactive version of this press release with additional information, please go to http://www.affymetrix.com/pr and click on the release title) Professor John Todd of the University's Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation/Wellcome Trust Diabetes and Inflammation Laboratory (DIL) at Cambridge is leading this research effort. His group will be the first to use a ParAllele-developed standard panel of 10,000 non-synonymous SNPs -- SNPs that change the sequences of proteins -- to compare genotypes between 1,000 control samples and 1,000 diabetic samples. The scientists have planned this as the first stage in the analysis of over 20,000 DNA samples already collected from diabetes patients and their relatives. The DIL is committed to sharing these samples and results with other researchers in the worldwide effort of finding new disease-associated genes for the development of better therapies and prognostic tests. The controls come from the 1958 British Birth Cohort in collaboration with Professor David Strachan of St. George's Hospital Medical School, London. "This research project is the most exciting and important genetics experiment I've ever been involved in," said Todd. "We've been collecting samples for quite some time and have been waiting for a technology that would give us the genetic power we needed to commence informative studies. Using this new solution from Affymetrix and ParAllele for a genome-wide gene association study provides us with the best opportunity we've ever had to discover new disease-associated genes and polymorphisms." "We're delighted to offer scientists a full range of tools to analyze the genome in different ways, leading to a better understanding of disease," said Greg Yap, Senior Marketing Director of DNA Analysis at Affymetrix. "Our new partnership with ParAllele enables us to provide researchers with another solution for genetic association studies and complements our existing solutions for genome-wide genotyping and resequencing." ParAllele's MegAllele(TM) products include genotyping reagent kits and software specifically designed for use with Affymetrix GeneChip(R) Tag Arrays and instrumentation systems. These new products offer the ability to genotype up to tens of thousands of SNPs in a single, flexible assay. "We are pleased to be working with a pioneer such as John Todd on such an important study," said Nick Naclerio, President & CEO of ParAllele BioScience. "This will be the first time that any researcher has directly analyzed this many potentially disease-related SNPs in such a well-characterized population. The ability to conduct studies of this scale may provide important new insights into type 1 diabetes." Using the combined MegAllele and GeneChip product, scientists can select SNPs from custom panels of 3,000 to 5,000 SNPs and standard panels of up to 10,000 pre-selected SNPs. The panel being used in the Cambridge University study is also available to other researchers worldwide. Assay design is customized and comprehensive, enabling researchers to successfully genotype more of the SNPs they want. About ParAllele Bioscience: ParAllele BioScience, Inc. is accelerating healthcare breakthroughs by providing comprehensive genetic discovery solutions to the life science research, pharmaceutical and diagnostic sectors. The company's products and services utilize a unique approach that leverages novel biochemical processes rather than complex instrumentation to discover and analyze minute variations in the human genome. The understanding of how subtle genetic variations contribute to disease risk, prognosis and drug response will lead to new and more effective drugs, predictive diagnosis, and the ability to better tailor therapies to individual patients. To date, ParAllele has established research collaborations with multiple large pharmaceutical companies and prestigious academic and government institutions. Headquartered in South San Francisco, California, ParAllele BioScience was founded by a team of leading researchers from the Stanford Genome Technology Center and Uppsala University. The company's investors include Abingworth Management, Index Ventures, Mohr Davidow Ventures and Versant Ventures. For more information about ParAllele, please visit the company's website at http://www.parallelebio.com/. About Affymetrix: Affymetrix is a pioneer in creating breakthrough tools that are driving the genomic revolution. By applying the principles of semiconductor technology to the life sciences, Affymetrix develops and commercializes systems that enable scientists to improve the quality of life. The Company's customers include pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agrichemical, diagnostics and consumer products companies as well as academic, government and other non-profit research institutes. Affymetrix offers an expanding portfolio of integrated products and services, including its integrated GeneChip brand platform, to address growing markets focused on understanding the relationship between genes and human health. Additional information on Affymetrix can be found at http://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 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, market acceptance (including uncertainties relating to the outcome of the genetic study of diabetes described 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. About the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation/Wellcome Trust Diabetes and Inflammation Laboratory (DIL; http://www-gene.cimr.cam.ac.uk/todd/ ): The DIL, centered in the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, is a multidisciplinary research program within the University departments of Medical Genetics and Paediatrics. The DIL collaborates with the Department of Public Health and Primary Care and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, and is a member of the international Type 1 Diabetes Genetics Consortium. The goals of the DIL are to identify genes and molecular mechanisms that contribute to the breakdown of self-tolerance in type 1 diabetes and autoimmune disease and so therapeutically modulate one or more of these pathways to prevent primary, or transplanted, beta cell destruction. To further these aims, 2005 will see the completion of an 8,000 case DNA collection, and a 1,500 family study focused on diabetes complications. NOTE: Affymetrix, the Affymetrix logo, and GeneChip are registered trademarks owned or used by Affymetrix, Inc. DATASOURCE: Affymetrix, Inc. CONTACT: media, Wes Conard, Associate Director, Public Relations, +1-408-731-5791, or investors, or investors, Doug Farrell, Vice President, Investor Relations, +1-408-731-5285, both of Affymetrix, Inc.; or media Nick Naclerio, PhD, President & CEO of ParAllele BioScience, +1-650-583-5833, or ; or media, Karen Bergman or Michelle Corral BCC Partners, +1-650-575-1509, or +1-415-794-8662, for ParAllele BioScience Web site: http://www.affymetrix.com/ Web site: http://www.parallelebio.com/ Web site: http://www-gene.cimr.cam.ac.uk/todd

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