Affymetrix And Abbott Enter Into Licensing Agreement

Santa Clara, CA - Affymetrix Inc. announced recently that Abbott Molecular, a division of Abbott, has obtained a non-exclusive, worldwide license to a number of Affymetrix patents that will allow it to manufacture and sell comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) microarrays, related readers and software in the research and diagnostics field. Details of the license were not disclosed.

About Affymetrix:

Affymetrix scientists invented the world's first microarray in 1989 and began selling the first commercial microarray in 1994. Since then, Affymetrix GeneChip(R) 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 nearly 4,000 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 subsidiaries in Europe and Asia, as well as manufacturing facilities in Sacramento, Calif., and Bedford, Mass. The company has about 1,000 employees worldwide. For more information about Affymetrix, please visit the company's Web site at www.Affymetrix.com.

SOURCE: Affymetrix