BioChipNet - The informational website on BioChip Technologies

Agilent Technologies' Fault Detective Test Optimization and Diagnostic Software Delivers Results up to 1,000 Times Faster

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:15:18 +0100

Teaser:

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today announced its Fault Detective Test Optimization and Diagnostic Software Version 4.7 delivers results from 10 to 1,000 times faster than previous versions. The new version expands support for multi-core processors and implements new algorithms that provide increased diagnostic rendering speed and improved accuracy.

Illumina and Glenn Close Announce the First Full Coverage DNA Sequencing of a Named Female

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:59:54 +0100

Teaser:

Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN) today announced that it has sequenced the DNA of American actress Glenn Close, the first publicly named female to have her DNA sequenced to full coverage. The service was completed in Illumina’s CLIA certified and CAP accredited laboratory utilizing Illumina’s Genome Analyzer technology and following the established process shown at http://www.everygenome.com/. Ms. Close’s DNA was sequenced to an average depth greater than 30 fold, providing information on SNP variation and allowing for the analysis of other structural characteristics of the genome such as insertions, deletions and rearrangements. Specifically, over 95% of the known genome was reported, including over 12 million genotype calls on previously documented SNPs. In addition, 379,000 SNPs previously not reported in any public database were found.

OVA1 Blood Test Now Available to Aid Pre-surgical Evaluation of Women for Ovarian Cancer

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:03:24 +0100

Teaser:

OVA1(TM), the first blood test cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for aiding in the pre-surgical evaluation of a woman’s ovarian mass for cancer, is now available nationally through Quest Diagnostics, Inc. (NYSE: DGX), the world’s leading cancer diagnostics provider. With the availability of OVA1, physicians can assess, prior to a planned surgery, the likelihood that a woman’s ovarian mass is malignant in order to direct her to the most appropriate surgeon, promoting more favorable treatment outcomes. Vermillion, Inc. (OTC: VRML.PK), a molecular diagnostics company, developed the test in cooperation with Quest Diagnostics.

Sequenom Announces Date of Full Year 2009 Financial Results and Conference Call

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:01:09 +0100

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Sequenom, Inc. (Nasdaq: SQNM), will report fourth quarter 2009 and full year financial results after market close on Monday, March 15, 2010. The company will conduct a conference call and an audio webcast at 1:30 pm Pacific Time (4:30 pm Eastern Time) on the same day.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Completes Acquisition of Finnzymes

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:09:36 +0100

Teaser:

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO), the world leader in serving science, has completed its previously announced acquisition of Finnzymes. The business is a well-recognized provider of integrated tools for high-performance polymerase chain reaction (PCR), including reagents, instruments, consumables and kits that make the PCR process faster and more accurate for applications including basic genomic research, genetic testing, forensics and food safety.

Affymetrix Appoints Jami Dover Nachtsheim and Nelson C. Chan to Board of Directors

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:12:04 +0100

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Affymetrix, Inc. (NASDAQ:AFFX) announced today that Jami Dover Nachtsheim and Nelson C. Chan have been appointed to the board of directors, effective March 8, 2010. The board appointed Ms. Nachtsheim to the Compensation Committee and Mr. Chan to the Audit Committee.

Affymetrix Launches GeneAtlas(TM) Personal Microarray System for Whole-Genome Gene Expression

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:16:20 +0100

Teaser:

Affymetrix, Inc. (NASDAQ: AFFX) today announced the launch of the GeneAtlas(TM) System, a complete, personal solution for processing Affymetrix arrays and characterizing changes in gene expression in a variety of research applications.

Luminex Corporation to Webcast Annual Investor Presentation

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:20:50 +0100

Teaser:

Luminex Corporation (Nasdaq: LMNX) today announced that senior management will host an institutional investor and financial analyst luncheon on Thursday, March 25, 2010, at 11:00 a.m. EDT at the NASDAQ MarketSite, in New York City. Luminex management will review the Company’s financial progress, operating highlights and strategic initiatives, and will provide an update on product development activities followed by a question and answer session.

febit’s miRBase 14 Geniom-Biochip Now With 58 Additional New Sequences Available for Cancer Research

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:20:07 +0100

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febit today announced that an updated version of the company’s Geniom Biochip containing 58 new discovered sequences in addition to all of the Homo sapiens microRNAs (miRNA) from miRBase version 14 (www.mirbase.org) is now available for cancer research. The 58 new miRNA sequences were found by deep sequencing in a miRNA discovery study performed on an Applied Biosystems SOLiD 3 sequencing system. All 58 miRNAs have been validated using the ABI TaqMan miRNA qRT-PCR assay and are now available for further studies using febit’s microarray technology for miRNA-profiling.

Beckman Coulter Extends Range of LS 13 320 Particle Size Analysis System

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:09:13 +0100

Teaser:

Beckman Coulter, Inc., has extended the range of its industry leading LS 13 320 particle size analyzer to allow high-resolution, reproducible measurement of samples from .017 to 2000 µm. The enhanced LS 13 320 also adds Rosin-Rammler and Folk & Ward Phi methods to its full complement of standard analytical capabilities.

BlackBio, Making Personalized Medicine a Reality

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:01:49 +0100

Teaser:

Established in 2009, BlackBio is a biotechnology spin‐off company committed to making personalized medicine
an affordable reality.

Source: Biotools

Merck KGaA and Millipore Announce Transaction

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 13:56:43 +0100

Teaser:

Merck KGaA, a global pharmaceutical and chemical company, and Millipore Corporation (NYSE: MIL), a leading Life Science company based in Billerica, Massachusetts, USA, today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Merck KGaA will acquire all outstanding shares of common stock of Millipore, for US$ 107 per share in cash, or a total transaction value, including net debt, of approximately EUR 5.3 billion (US$ 7.2 billion). The transaction was approved by the boards of directors of both companies. Millipore and Merck will create a EUR 2.1 billion (US$ 2.9 billion) world-class partner for the Life Science sector, achieving significant scale in high-margin specialty products with an attractive growth profile.

Inverness Medical Innovations to Attend RBC Capital Markets Healthcare Conference on March 3, 2010

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 14:11:26 +0100

Teaser:

Inverness Medical Innovations, Inc. (NYSE: IMA), a global leader in enabling individuals to take charge of their health at home through the merger of rapid diagnostics and health management, announced today that it will attend the RBC Capital Markets Healthcare Conference being held March 2 through 3, 2010 at the New York Palace Hotel in New York City. Jon Russell, Vice President, Finance, will attend. Mr. Russell is scheduled to participate in a panel discussion entitled “The Art of Integrating Acquisitions” on Wednesday, March 3, 2010 at 8:00 a.m. The panel discussion will be made available to the public through a webcast accessible via http://www.wsw.com/webcast/rbc116/panel16/ as well as through the company’s website at http://www.invmed.com/investors.cfm. A replay of the webcast will be available via the links above for approximately 30 days from the date of the webcast. During the presentation, Mr. Russell may discuss and answer questions concerning business and financial developments and trends. His responses to questions, as well as other matters discussed during the webcast, may contain or constitute information that has not been disclosed previously.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Completes Acquisition of Ahura Scientific

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 14:04:39 +0100

Teaser:

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO), the world leader in serving science, today announced that it has completed its previously announced acquisition of Ahura Scientific, a leader in handheld Raman and FT-IR (Fourier-transform infrared) spectroscopy instruments that are used worldwide in the identification of chemicals for safety, security and pharmaceutical applications. Ahura generated full-year 2009 revenues of approximately $45 million. The company will be integrated into Thermo Fisher’s Analytical Technologies Segment.

Targeted resequencing of cancer-related genes with febit’s Cancer Exon Biochip

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:20:59 +0100

Teaser:

With its latest publication in the field of targeted next generation sequencing, febit sets new standards in large scale genomic studies: the HybSelect technology has been established as a highly scalable method to enrich biologically relevant exome subsets with increased sample numbers. A summary of the study on febit’s website gives an overview of the results.