Sysmex Corporation (HQ: Kobe, Japan; President: Hisashi Ietsugu) entered into agreements for joint R&D, clinical development and marketing with Affymetrix Inc. (HQ: Santa Clara, California, United States), an industry leading manufacturer of systems for life science research and clinical healthcare. Affymetrix microarray technology is considered to be the gold-standard research tool for analyzing the relationship between genes and human health. Under the agreement, the two companies will work jointly: 1) To promote joint research and development activities for the purpose of creating new diagnostic technologies in the field of blood diseases and cancer for the global market; 2) To conduct clinical development on the Affymetrix arrays, instruments, and reagents; 3) To market these products for clinical use in Japan and other Asian countries.
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Personalized medicine is the future of healthcare and early detection of disease, early treatment, and prevention of disease recurrence is extremely critical. Certain diagnostic tests using DNA microarrays are enabling physicians to optimize medical treatments for each patient. Therefore, research institutes in Japan and overseas are now carrying out R&D to create more diagnostic technologies.
Recently, gene analysis technology has attracted a lot of attention, and it is said that the technology is indispensable in providing medical services optimized for each patient's particular physical and medical condition. DNA microarray technology is remarkable because it enables users to analyze enormous amounts of genetic material simultaneously. The resulting microarray-based tests will enable clinicians to provide more efficient and complete methods to diagnose, classify and manage these disorders.
Sysmex is now researching and developing high value diagnostic technologies towards disease management such as blood disease, cancer, infectious disease, and metabolic syndrome management. The company has already established some diagnostic technologies for prediction of recurrence and drug sensitivity test for cancer, by using technological platforms such as hematology analysis technology and direct gene amplification technology called "One Step Nucleic Acid Amplification (OSNA)," which were both originally developed by Sysmex.
Affymetrix is the first company that invented and commercialized the world's first high-density microarray. Affymetrix GeneChip® technology has become the industry standard in molecular biology research. The Powered by Affymetrix agreement enables Sysmex to incorporate Affymetrix' patented arrays into its diagnostic products.
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Agreement overview
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| 1. Agreement content |
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1) |
Joint R&D of DNA chip |
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Conducted under Powered by Affymetrix™ Program to develop a Sysmex original DNA chip. |
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Sysmex has exclusive global marketing rights to products that will be developed through the R&D activities. |
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Clinical Development and Exclusive marketing in Japan and other Asian countries, to be identified, of products being developed by Affymetrix for diagnostic applications. |
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Except for Japan, the two companies will determine in which Asian countries Sysmex will receive distribution rights to Affymetrix' diagnostic products, one by one through mutual consultation. |
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Sysmex is in charge of clinical study and clinical development aimed at selling Affymetrix' diagnostic products in the areas where Sysmex has exclusive marketing rights |
| 2. Agreement date: December 13, 2006 |
| 3. Agreement term: Until December 31, 2013 |
About Affymetrix
Affymetrix scientists invented the world's first high-density DNA chip(microarray) in 1989 and began selling the first commercial DNA chip in 1994. Since then, Affymetrix GeneChip® technology has become the industry standard in molecular biology research. Affymetrix technology is used by the world's top pharmaceutical, diagnostic and biotechnology companies as well as leading academic, government and not-for-profit research institutes. More than 1,400 systems have been installed around the world and more than 7,000 peer-reviewed papers have been published using the technology.
Affymetrix' patented photolithographic manufacturing process provides the most information capacity available today on an array, enabling researchers to use a whole-genome approach to analyzing the relationship between genetics and health.
Affymetrix is headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., with manufacturing facilities in Sacramento, Calif., and Bedford, Mass. The company maintains important sales and marketing operations in Europe and Asia and has about 1,100 employees worldwide. For more information about Affymetrix, please visit the company's website at www.affymetrix.com.
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