Illumina Introduces Three New Research Products To Study Genetic Variations Linked To Cancer Development

Main Category: Cancer / Oncology
Also Included In: Genetics
Article Date: 14 Apr 2008 - 4:00 PDT

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Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN) announced that it is making available three new product solutions for cancer research, which include expansion of Illumina's proprietary DASL® Assay to whole-genome profiling, and the launch of DASL focused expression and methylation profiling on Illumina's VeraCode® technology. These new solutions allow researchers to leverage synergies across Illumina technology platforms to better understand the complex molecular mechanisms that give rise to cancer.

Illumina's DASL Assay was specifically designed to successfully profile expression in degraded RNA, such as that found in formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) samples. At the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute researchers are using whole-genome DASL profiling to identify molecular profiles associated with chemotherapy resistance in ovarian cancer.

"We have a significant number of archived ovarian cancer samples, and this new approach has provided me with a way to finally access the information in these invaluable samples," said Dr. John Quackenbush. "The DASL assay gives us the ability to obtain consistent, high-quality data from FFPE samples and has opened-up new avenues of investigation that were not previously available to us."

Finally, using Illumina's GoldenGate® Assay for Methylation with the VeraCode technology, researchers can now uncover epigenetic modifications in DNA that have significant and widespread effects on gene expression. Researchers from the University of Connecticut Health Center have used both the BeadArray™ and VeraCode technologies to examine splice variants.

"Most researchers use their genome-wide array to find the 100 to 500 genes of interest and then build a lower-complexity pool to run on a larger number of samples. I simply moved the same assay over to the VeraCode platform, which used an identical workflow and required no additional design. Reproducibility of data was very high between the two platforms," said Dr. Brenton Gravely.

"The DASL gene expression and GoldenGate Methylation assays offered across both the BeadArray and VeraCode facilitate the understanding of the molecular basis of cancer," says Tristan Orpin, Senior Vice President of Illumina's Commercial Operations. "Researchers will need to investigate changes in RNA expression, epigenetic control, and coding and non-coding regions of the genome. Illumina's new solutions for RNA profiling and methylation will enable researchers to study and validate these changes with a common assay."

About Illumina

Illumina is a leading developer, manufacturer, and marketer of next-generation life-science tools and integrated systems for the large-scale analysis of genetic variation and biological function. Using our proprietary technologies, we provide a comprehensive line of products and services that currently serve the sequencing, genotyping, and gene expression markets, and we expect to enter the market for molecular diagnostics. Our customers include leading genomic research centers, pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions, clinical research organizations, and biotechnology companies. Our tools provide researchers around the world with the performance, throughput, cost effectiveness, and flexibility necessary to perform the billions of genetic tests needed to extract valuable medical information from advances in genomics and proteomics. We believe this information will enable researchers to correlate genetic variation and biological function, which will enhance drug discovery and clinical research, allow diseases to be detected earlier, and permit better choices of drugs for individual patients.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: this release may contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in any forward-looking statements are Illumina's ability (i) to integrate effectively our recent acquisition of Solexa, Inc., (ii) to develop and commercialize further our BeadArray™, VeraCode®, and Solexa® technologies and to deploy new sequencing, gene expression, and genotyping products and applications for our technology platforms, (iii) to manufacture robust microarrays and Oligator® oligonucleotides, (iv) to integrate and scale our VeraCode technology, together with other factors detailed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including our recent filings on Forms 10-K and 10-Q or in information disclosed in public conference calls, the date and time of which are released beforehand. We disclaim any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements beyond the date of this release.

http://www.illumina.com