TGen News & Press Releases

• Written by Steve Yozwiak /
• Posted Monday March 9, 2009

Translational Genomics Research Institute and Applied Biosystems Accelerate use of Genomics Research for Medical Applications

Enhanced understanding of genetic basis of disease to hasten advent of personalized medicine

Phoenix, AZ - March 9, 2009 - Applied Biosystems, a division of Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE), and the Translational Genomics Research Institute, today announced a strategic alliance designed to accelerate research into complex diseases and medical conditions. As part of this alliance, a team of scientists from TGen and Applied Biosystems will employ the SOLiD™ 3 System, Applied Biosystems' next-generation genomic analysis platform, to sequence DNA from thousands of patients with a variety of diseases. The goal of this research is to translate scientific discoveries at the genetic level into knowledge about the underlying causes of disease that may ultimately be used to create cutting-edge tools for use in clinical diagnosis.

The alliance enables TGen researchers to apply best-of-breed sequencing technology across a broad spectrum of research efforts that focus on developing a more personalized approach to medicine. This approach, which is known as personalized medicine, represents a potential clinical shift from treatment of disease based on symptoms, to therapy that is specific to an individual's unique genetic make up. Among the goals of this project is to advance the promise of personalized medicine by reducing the cost of genome sequencing to make it a routine diagnostic tool in medical care.

"This strategic alliance will accelerate genomic discoveries by integrating relevant scientific findings into the clinical setting," said Mark Stevenson, President and Chief Operating Officer of Life Technologies. "The SOLiD System will help this team of scientists and other researchers and clinicians interpret how genetic variation can improve the ability to create more effective therapeutic solutions, bringing personalized medicine one step closer to mainstream application."

The scientists involved in this alliance will utilize a total of five SOLiD 3 Systems to build a sequencing pipeline in connection with patient-centric, medically-directed resequencing on a cross section of patient samples. The results are expected to positively impact individuals with cancer, autoimmune and neurological disorders. The alliance will also involve the co-development of a bioinformatics analysis and visualization pipeline for the SOLiD platform. This will result in software tools designed to ease the analytical challenges associated with analyzing the vast amounts of data generated by human disease and cancer genomics applications of next generation sequencing.

Dr. Jeffrey Trent, President and Scientific Director of TGen, and other renowned principal investigators will partner with Applied Biosystems scientists to perform six different projects focused on comprehensive characterization of genetic and molecular changes occurring within clinical cohorts for each disease. The scientists at TGen chose the SOLiD technology for this project, due to its inherent scalability, unparalleled throughput and unmatched data accuracy. These attributes make the SOLiD System uniquely suited for translational research of complex diseases by enabling the detection of single nucleotide polymorphisms and other structural variation across the genome in large numbers of samples.

"Consistent with TGen's mission of developing the next generation of diagnostics and therapeutics, the alliance with Applied Biosystems forges ties with a key industry partner whose technologies align seamlessly with our research objectives and should produce accelerated progress in our efforts to better understand the genetic underpinnings of many diseases, with a particular emphasis on cancer," said Dr. Trent.

Applied Biosystems is a global leader in providing innovative instrument systems to accelerate academic and clinical research, drug discovery and development, pathogen detection and forensic DNA analysis. The technologies it markets include a robust line of DNA sequencing systems and chemistries to meet the increasing demands of the scientific community for higher throughput, more sophisticated DNA sequencing solutions. Applied Biosystems, together, with Invitrogen - a leading provider of platform independent, essential life science technologies for disease and drug research, bioproduction and diagnostics - is part of Life Technologies Corporation, which markets the life science industry's most comprehensive portfolio of solutions for molecular and cell biology. Applied Biosystems and Invitrogen products are used in nearly every major laboratory in the world.

TGen is a growing leader in integrating medically directed technologies and applications into clinical practice, the results of which provide real solutions for patients. Through its recent alliance with the Van Andel Research Institute in Grand Rapids, Michigan, TGen and VARI now have a national outreach to patient populations across multiple diseases. That alliance combines the groundbreaking basic research expertise of VARI with the cutting-edge translational genomics and analysis capabilities of TGen.

For more information, please visit: www.appliedbiosystems.com, www.invitrogen.com and www.tgen.org.

About Life Technologies
Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ:LIFE) is a global biotechnology tools company dedicated to improving the human condition. Our systems, consumables and services enable researchers to accelerate scientific exploration, driving to discoveries and developments that make life even better. Life Technologies customers do their work across the biological spectrum, working to advance personalized medicine, regenerative science, molecular diagnostics, agricultural and environmental research, and 21st century forensics. Life Technologies had sales of more than $3 billion in 2008, employs approximately 9,500 people, has a presence in more than 100 countries, and possesses a rapidly growing intellectual property estate of approximately 3,600 patents and exclusive licenses. Life Technologies was created by the combination of Invitrogen Corporation and Applied Biosystems Inc. For more information on how we are making a difference please visit our website: www.lifetechnologies.com.

About TGen
The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a non-profit organization dedicated to conducting groundbreaking research with life changing results. Research at TGen is focused on helping patients with diseases such as cancer, neurological disorders and diabetes. TGen is on the cutting edge of translational research where investigators are able to unravel the genetic components of common and complex diseases. Working with collaborators in the scientific and medical communities, TGen believes it can make a substantial contribution to the efficiency and effectiveness of the translational process. For more information, visit: www.tgen.org.

Safe Harbor Statement
This press release includes forward-looking statements about our anticipated results that involve risks and uncertainties. Some of the information contained in this press release, including, but not limited to, statements as to industry trends and Life Technologies' plans, objectives, expectations and strategy for its business, contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. When used, the words "believe," "plan," "intend," "anticipate," "target," "estimate," "expect" and the like, and/or future tense or conditional constructions ("will," "may," "could," "should," etc.), or similar expressions, identify certain of these forward-looking statements. Important factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are detailed in filings made by Life Technologies with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Life Technologies undertakes no obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

Copyright 2009. Life Technologies Corporation. All rights reserved. AB (Design), and Applied Biosystems are registered trademarks and SOLiD are trademarks of Life Technologies or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or certain other countries.

Life Technologies Contacts
Media
Renaldo Juanso
Technology Public Relations
Communications
650.638.5354
[email protected]

Investors
Amanda Clardy
Corporate and Financial
760.476.7075
[email protected]

Lauren Lum
Technology Public Relations
650.638.6916
[email protected]

TGen Contact
Steve Yozwiak
602.343.8704
[email protected]