Affymetrix, Inc., and Ardais Corporation have announced a joint research project that is designed to combine Affymetrix' GeneChip brand technology with Ardais' BIGR Library of human tissue samples and accompanying clinical information to discover molecular fingerprints associated with disease outcome and therapeutic response.

Agilent Technologies Inc. and Large Scale Biology Corporation have announced a worldwide licensing agreement that will allow Agilent to exclusively develop new technologies for the separation of low-abundance proteins from serum samples, such as blood. The technology will be combined with Agilent's LC/MS based systems to create complete proteomics solutions. Products will also be made available in other formats for those proteomics scientists utilizing other methods of analysis.

Caliper Technologies Corp. and Ambion, Inc, have entered into a research collaboration to develop an RNA amplification system. Funds for the research phase of this product development program will come primarily from a phase II SBIR grant to Ambion for $1.6 million from the NIH National Institute of General Medical Sciences. The proposed system will include a Caliper microfluidic LabChip device, Ambion's reagent kit and an instrument, which would perform the amplification reactions on the LabChip device.

Celera Diagnostics is collaborating with Bristol-Myers Squibb to study genes that may be useful in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Bristol-Myers Squibb will provide clinical samples and data to Celera Diagnostics, which will conduct studies to correlate genetic variability with cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Bristol-Myers Squibb will receive exclusive rights to develop and market drugs for cardiovascular disease and diabetes based on therapeutic targets identified by the studies. Celera Diagnostics will retain exclusive rights to develop and market diagnostic products.

CeMines Inc. is developing a molecular fingerprinting-based blood test for lung, breast, gastrointestinal and prostate cancers.

DNAPrint genomics, Inc. and Nanogen, Inc. have entered a collaboration whereby DNAPrint will develop NanoChip versions of its proprietary genomics tests that involve the simultaneous reading of large sets of genetic markers or positions per sample, The agreement provides DNAPrint with a non-exclusive license to perform certain pharmacogenomics, recreational and forensics genomics testing services on the NanoChip platform.

EXACT Sciences Corporation has entered into a research collaboration with Kenna Technologies, Inc., to identify and validate specific targets that may be useful in the early detection and staging and monitoring of several common cancers.

GeneProt, Inc. has launched an industrial-scale proteomic study of diseases in degenerative and vascular dementias with particular emphasis on Alzheimer's disease.

IGEN International has announced that the Bloodborne Pathogens and Hepatitis Lab of Health Canada has developed a test for the detection of HBV mutants utilizing the company's ORIGEN technology. The test uses gLCR, a DNA amplification method and has been reported to detect 10 copies of mutant DNA and the detection of low levels of mutant DNA in the presence of excess wild-type DNA.

MicroFluidic Systems Inc. has secured an exclusive license to U.S. patent no. 6,100,084, entitled Micro-sonicator for Spore Lysis, from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The licensed patent describes a device that couples ultrasonic energy to a fluid-filled chamber for the lysis, or bursting open, of cells or spores to release the internal cellular components for analysis.

Nanogen, Inc. and Bionomics Limited are collaborating to develop a new generation diagnostic product for epilepsy. They will use Nanogen's NanoChip Molecular Biology Workstation combined with Bionomics' exclusive epilepsy gene discoveries.

N-Dia, Inc. has introduced AmniSure, a test that detects premature fetal membrane rupture. Besides AmniSure, the company has a male infertility diagnostic device, small-cell lung cancer diagnostic device, and retinal dystrophy treatment in development.

Proligo and Beckman Coulter, Inc. have entered a worldwide supply and license agreement by which Proligo will manufacture and sell oligonucleotides labeled with Beckman Coulter WellRED Dyes, D2-PA, D3-PA, D4-PA. These new oligos will run on Beckman Coulter's CEQ Genetic Analysis Systems.

Prometheus Laboratories Inc. has signed a co-exclusive sublicense agreement with DNA Sciences, Inc. to a patent allowing for the identification of two gene forms, or alleles, that are important to the production of the human enzyme thiopurine S-methyltransferase (TPMT) and to related diagnostic uses. These TPMT alleles have been associated with deficiencies in humans to produce the TPMT enzyme that can result in potentially fatal drug toxicity in patients treated with thiopurines. Thiopurines are a class of drugs often used to treat autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Prometheus' PRO-PredictRx TPMT test provides a genotypic assessment of these alleles that have been associated with TPMT enzyme deficiencies.

QIAGEN N.V. has introduced the Cancer siRNA Oligo Set, the first set of disease-specific siRNAs for the life sciences market. The set includes two siRNAs for each of 139 cancer-related genes, which are recognized as clinically and scientifically relevant.

VARIAGENICS, INC. has signed licensing agreements under VARIAGENICS' MTHFR (methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase) patent rights with ARUP Laboratories and Quest Diagnostics. The MTHFR allele is associated with increased thrombo-embolic disease risk and other disorders.

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