Message #62 From:
NewsBot Date: January 22, 2007 04:00:00 AM
ABI News Applied Biosystems Simplifies Real-Time PCR
FOSTER CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Applied Biosystems (NYSE:ABI), an Applera Corporation business, today
announced a new instrument system for conducting genetic and genomic
analysis experiments using real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction)
technology. The new StepOne™
Real-Time PCR System was developed in response to the growing market of
researchers interested in lower throughput applications of real-time
PCR. The StepOne system provides both new and experienced researchers
with a highly-functional, easy to use and cost-effective way to conduct
real-time PCR experiments. The new system complements Applied Biosystems’
comprehensive portfolio of real-time PCR instruments for high and
mid-throughput applications, providing life scientists with a variety of
systems that are appropriate for their particular laboratory environment
and budget.
Often referenced in research published in primary journals, real-time
PCR is a laboratory method used to simultaneously detect and determine
the amount of nucleic acids present in samples. This kind of data helps
life scientists to more precisely assess how changes in the amounts of
key DNA or RNA sequences contribute to the development of disease or how
they relate to biological processes in plant and animal cells. This
technique, which is well established in the biotechnology,
pharmaceutical and medical research industries, is increasingly being
adopted by scientists from additional industries such as animal science,
microbiology, food science, plant biology and agriculture.
"As an academic lab, budget considerations greatly influence decisions
we make about how to equip our laboratory. Until now, researchers in our
lab have had to share a real-time PCR instrument with multiple labs.
However, this limits access to the instrument," said Scott Briggs,
Ph.D., assistant professor, Biochemistry, Purdue University, who is one
of the early users of the StepOne system. "The StepOne system offers us
an affordable way to incorporate our own real-time PCR instrument into
our lab without compromising the data quality or flexibility we've come
to expect from Applied Biosystems’ real-time
PCR systems. In addition, the new and intuitive software will allow us
to easily expand the use of real-time PCR in our gene expression
studies."
The StepOne system can be used in a variety of laboratory applications
that include gene expression, viral load, and genotyping. When
scientists use the system to investigate how changes in expression
levels of key genes impact biological processes, they will benefit from
a technology that simultaneously copies and determines the amount of
target DNA or RNA sequences present in samples. Using the StepOne system
to automate this technology, scientists who previously did not have
access to real-time PCR technology will be able to generate more
quantitative data from smaller samples and foster greater
reproducibility of results compared to other PCR methods. For viral load
applications, researchers can use the system in clinical research to
determine the number of copies of viral RNA molecules present in blood
samples.
In addition to gene expression and viral load applications, the StepOne
system also empowers life scientists to perform SNP (single nucleotide
polymorphism) genotyping procedures that rapidly transform collected DNA
samples into computerized data that can be used to identify biological
markers to study disease.
Among the StepOne system’s features that make
it easy to use is intuitive software that simplifies the process of
operating the instrument system. Beginning users benefit from wizards
that can be tailored to run specific experiments and guide new users
through set up, operation and analysis. More experienced users can
customize experiment design parameters such as thermo cycling protocols
and nucleic acid template types.
Additionally, the StepOne system can be connected to a local area
network, making it possible for researchers to participate in
distributed research collaborations, such as those commonly conducted in
academic and public research environments. This promotes the sharing of
data across laboratories, making information more accessible to larger
groups of scientists. These same networking capabilities empower
researchers to download data from remote locations, streamlining the
task of monitoring the progress of experiments.
For researchers in smaller laboratories who now share the use of
real-time PCR systems located in core lab facilities, the StepOne system
offers the potential for having greater accessibility to a real-time PCR
instrument. The low cost and space-saving footprint of the StepOne
system makes it easier for lab managers to both provide individual
researchers with personal real-time PCR systems, and to fit several
systems on space-limited bench tops.
“Applied Biosystems developed the StepOne
System to enable a broader range of life scientists to experience the
benefit of real-time PCR based upon their specific laboratory
environment and research objectives,” said
Mark Stevenson, president of Applied Biosystems molecular and cell
biology division. “We expect that the
combination of functionality, low throughput and ease of use will make
this technology increasingly accessible to the growing number of
researchers who are interested in its quantitative results.”
The StepOne system expands the family of real-time PCR systems offered
by Applied Biosystems for laboratories of all sizes. For production
scale sample throughput Applied Biosystems offers the 7900HT Fast
Real-Time PCR System. For mid-to-high sample throughput researchers can
choose from the 7300 Real-Time PCR System, 7500 Real-Time PCR System, or
7500 Fast Real-Time PCR System. To support these platforms, Applied
Biosystems has pre-designed more than 700,000 TaqMan®
Gene Expression Assays and over 4 million TaqMan®SNP Genotyping Assays. Complementing these off-the-shelf products are
custom TaqMan®
Assays which are available for customer specific gene expression or
genotyping assays. The StepOne System will be available for purchase
beginning in early February. For more information on the StepOne system
please visit www.appliedbiosystems.com.
About Applera Corporation and Applied Biosystems
Applera Corporation consists of two operating groups. The Applied
Biosystems Group serves the life science industry and research community
by developing and marketing instrument-based systems, consumables,
software, and services. Customers use these tools to analyze nucleic
acids (DNA and RNA), small molecules, and proteins to make scientific
discoveries and develop new pharmaceuticals. Applied Biosystems'
products also serve the needs of some markets outside of life science
research, which we refer to as "applied markets," such as the fields of:
human identity testing (forensic and paternity testing); biosecurity,
which refers to products needed in response to the threat of biological
terrorism and other malicious, accidental, and natural biological
dangers; and quality and safety testing, for example in food and the
environment. Applied Biosystems is headquartered in Foster City, CA, and
reported sales of over $1.9 billion during fiscal 2006. The Celera Group
is primarily a molecular diagnostics business that is using proprietary
genomics and proteomics discovery platforms to identify and validate
novel diagnostic markers, and is developing diagnostic products based on
these markers. Celera maintains a strategic alliance with Abbott
Laboratories for the development and commercialization of molecular, or
nucleic acid-based, diagnostic products, and it is also developing new
diagnostic products outside of this alliance. Through its genomics and
proteomics research efforts, Celera is also discovering and validating
therapeutic targets, and it is seeking to develop therapeutic products
based on these discovered targets through strategic partnerships.
Information about Applera Corporation, including reports and other
information filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, is available at http://www.applera.com,
or by telephoning 800.762.6923. Information about Applied Biosystems is
available at http://www.appliedbiosystems.com/.
Applied Biosystems Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking. These may
be identified by the use of forward-looking words or phrases such as
"should, "planned," and "expect," among others. These forward-looking
statements are based on Applera Corporation's current expectations. The
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe
harbor" for such forward-looking statements. In order to comply with the
terms of the safe harbor, Applera Corporation notes that a variety of
factors could cause actual results and experience to differ materially
from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in such
forward-looking statements. These factors include but are not limited
to: (1) rapidly changing technology and dependence on the development
and customer acceptance of new products; (2) sales dependent on
customers' capital spending policies and government-sponsored research;
and (3) other factors that might be described from time to time in
Applera Corporation's filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. All information in this press release is as of the date of
the release, and Applera does not undertake any duty to update this
information, including any forward-looking statements, unless required
by law.
NOTICE TO PURCHASER: Label License - The StepOne™
Real-Time PCR System is covered by patents owned by Applera Corporation.
No right is conveyed expressly, by implication, or by estoppel to
apparatus, reagents, kits, or methods such as the patented 5’
nuclease methods. For further information contact the Director of
Licensing, Applied Biosystems, 850 Lincoln Centre Drive, Foster City,
California 94404, USA.
For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures. Applera,
Applied Biosystems, and AB (Design) are registered trademarks, and
StepOne is a trademark of Applera Corporation or its subsidiaries in the
U. S. and/or certain other countries. TaqMan is a registered trademark
of Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.
