The corrected release reads:
“Using advanced bioinformatics, extensive laboratory validation, and stringent performance specifications, we were able to create a validated and ready-to-use assay set specifically for drug metabolism enzymes, providing some of the broadest coverage within the market.”
APPLIED BIOSYSTEMS INTRODUCES EARLY ACCESS PROGRAM FOR NEW LINE OF GENOTYPING ASSAYS IN DRUG METABOLISM RESEARCH; TAQMAN(R) DRUG METABOLISM ASSAYS AVAILABLE ONLINE FOR MORE THAN 220 DRUG METABOLIZING GENES
Applied Biosystems (NYSE:ABI), an Applera Corporation business, today introduced its TaqMan(R) Drug Metabolism Genotyping Assays for the detection and study of polymorphisms in the drug metabolism pathway. The collection includes more than 2,000 unique assays for the detection of genetic variants in more than 220 genes that code for drug metabolism enzymes. A preliminary version of the assays is now available through an early-access customer program.
Gene variants or polymorphisms in drug metabolism enzymes are important pharmaceutical biomarkers that play a key role in altering drug concentration levels and determining side effect profiles of drugs. Characterized polymorphisms provide a genetic basis for sample selection in clinical trials by differentiating study participants who are likely to benefit from treatment from those who may experience adverse reactions.
Researchers from Yale University are part of Applied Biosystems' early-access customer program and are using the TaqMan(R) Drug Metabolism Genotyping Assays to study metabolism in substance addiction.
"Studying substance addiction can be a complex and difficult task as many drug metabolism genes reside in highly homologous parts of the genome. Our studies have been limited because of the difficulty in distinguishing between very similar genes," said Kenneth K. Kidd, Ph.D., Professor of Genetics, Yale University. "These assays now allow us to easily and accurately type the SNPs in important genes, such as those involved in alcohol and drug metabolism."
Other early access customers of TaqMan(R) Drug Metabolism Genotyping Assays include Vanderbilt University and the University of Texas.
"Genes that code for drug metabolism enzymes represent some of the most important genes in drug development and clinical research as they directly impact drug safety and effectiveness," said Dennis Gilbert, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, Applied Biosystems. "Using advanced bioinformatics, extensive laboratory validation, and stringent performance specifications, we were able to create a validated and ready-to-use assay set specifically for drug metabolism enzymes, providing some of the broadest coverage within the market."
The TaqMan(R) Drug Metabolism Genotyping Assays are single-tube probe and primer sets for use on Applied Biosystems real-time PCR instruments, including the 7300, 7500, and 7900HT Real-time PCR Systems. The assays can detect multiple types of polymorphisms, including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), insertion/deletions, and multiple nucleotide polymorphisms (MNPs), and have been limited to regulatory coding regions and splice junctions. All assays passed Applied Biosystems' stringent performance specifications using 180 unique DNA samples from four different ethnic populations. Additionally, assays were mapped to public allele websites to include commonly-known allele names.
TaqMan(R) Drug Metabolism Genotyping Assays and other TaqMan(R) assays are available through the Applied Biosystems website at: http://DME.appliedbiosystems.com/.
About Applera Corporation and Applied Biosystems
Applera Corporation consists of two operating groups. The Applied Biosystems Group serves the life science industry and research community by developing and marketing instrument-based systems, consumables, software, and services. Customers use these tools to analyze nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), small molecules, and proteins to make scientific discoveries, develop new pharmaceuticals, and conduct standardized testing. Applied Biosystems is headquartered in Foster City, CA, and reported sales of $1.7 billion during fiscal 2004. The Celera Genomics Group (NYSE:CRA) is engaged principally in the discovery and development of targeted therapeutics for cancer, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Celera Genomics is leveraging its proteomic, bioinformatic, and genomic capabilities to identify and validate drug targets, and to discover and develop small molecule therapeutics. It is also seeking to advance therapeutic antibody and selected small molecule drug programs in collaboration with global technology and market leaders. Celera Diagnostics, a 50/50 joint venture between Applied Biosystems and Celera Genomics, is focused on discovery, development, and commercialization of diagnostic products. Information about Applera Corporation, including reports and other information filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, is available at http://www.applera.com, or by telephoning 800-762-6923. Information about Applied Biosystems is available at http://www.appliedbiosystems.com/.
Applied Biosystems Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking. These may be identified by the use of forward-looking words or phrases such as "believe," "expect," "plans," and "should" among others. These forward-looking statements are based on Applera Corporation's current expectations. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for such forward-looking statements. In order to comply with the terms of the safe harbor, Applera Corporation notes that a variety of factors could cause actual results and experience to differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements. These factors include but are not limited to (1) rapidly changing technology and dependence on the development and customer acceptance of new products; (2) sales dependent on customers' capital spending policies and government-sponsored research; (3) Applied Biosystems' dependence on the operation of computer hardware, software, and Internet applications and related technology; (4) unproven use of genomics information to develop or commercialize products; and (5) other factors that might be described from time to time in Applera Corporation's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All information in this press release is as of the date of the release, and Applera does not undertake any duty to update this information, including any forward-looking statements, unless required by law.
For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.
Copyright(C) 2005. Applera Corporation. All rights reserved. Applied Biosystems is a registered trademark and Applera and Celera are trademarks of Applera Corporation or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and/or certain other countries.
TaqMan is a registered trademark of Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.
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