Press Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 06, 2004
ViaGen, Inc. Selected as Affymetrix GeneChip® Technology Service Provider
AUSTIN, TEXAS — ViaGen, Inc. announced an agreement today with Affymetrix Inc. to become a fee-for-service provider of Affymetrix GeneChip® technology. With its expertise in multiple species, ViaGen is the only firm currently operating in the agricultural field to provide such services.
Affymetrix GeneChip® brand technology, the leading tool for the study of gene function, can simultaneously read the expression of thousands of genes, even with minute tissue samples. With this agreement, ViaGen will make this technology available to both educational and for-profit institutions, with special emphasis in the agricultural industry. GeneChip® technology provides an invaluable tool for understanding the basis of traits such as quality, disease resistance, and response to environmental factors, ultimately resulting in healthier animals and plants and more efficient production capabilities.
ViaGen is the only agricultural animal company that combines genomic analysis with assisted breeding services, including animal cloning. “Our work with animal embryos has led us to develop proprietary techniques and expertise in the areas of small sample and heterologous gene expression analysis.” said Sara Davis, ViaGen co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer. “This represents a unique opportunity for researchers, especially in the agricultural plant and animal fields, where species are under-represented by commercially available high quality microarrays.”
Wan Ji, ViaGen’s head of Functional Genomics and Gene Expression Analysis, previously served as the manager of genetics for Hoffmann-La Roche and has worked with the Affymetrix system for more than five years.
While the details remain confidential, ViaGen is already working with Affymetrix to design custom GeneChip® arrays. These chips will allow ViaGen’s partners to rapidly screen samples, including fertilized, pre-implantation embryos, for a host of genetic traits. In addition to their use by ViaGen’s partners, ViaGen will offer commercial services using these GeneChip® arrays as they become available.
This agreement represents the latest step in ViaGen’s business development. Earlier this year, the company acquired livestock pioneer ProLinia and its non-exclusive license, obtained from Geron Corporation, to use nuclear transfer technology for agricultural purposes, conveying worldwide rights to clone swine and worldwide rights (excluding Australia and New Zealand) to clone cattle.
About Viagen:
ViaGen provides state-of-the-art assisted breeding services powered by genomics to all sectors of the animal industry. Unmatched genomic capabilities allow ViaGen to identify economically important genetic traits in virtually any animal species, information that is paired with ViaGen’s expertise in advanced reproductive technologies to obtain revenue enhancing improvements in quality, yield, safety and brand integrity. ViaGen is an Exeter Life Sciences company located in Austin, Texas. Exeter Life Sciences is a world leader in innovative health and life-sciences products and services that improve the lives of people, animals and the environment.
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