Multiplex Gene Expression HD2 12x135K Microarrays Now Available from Roche NimbleGen

For high throughput whole-genome expression profiling of a wide
variety of organisms
MADISON, Wis.--(Business Wire)--
Roche NimbleGen has launched the NimbleGen Gene Expression 12x135K
Microarray, a new multiplex gene expression array on their recently
introduced HD2 platform. The 12-plex format offers a cost-effective,
high-throughput approach for whole-genome gene expression profiling:
Twelve independent samples can be analyzed simultaneously on a single
slide. With 135,000 long oligonucleotide probes per array, complete
transcriptome coverage is achieved. Similar to the 385K and 4x72K
NimbleGen microarrays, the new 12x135K arrays display high
specificity, high sensitivity, and excellent reproducibility. There
are eight eukaryotic catalog designs available (human, mouse, rat, A.
thaliana, C. elegans, D. melanogaster, S. cerevisiae, and S. pombe),
all based on the most current whole-genome builds. For researchers
interested in studying organisms with genomes that are newly sequenced
and annotated, Roche NimbleGen offers the option of a cost-effective
custom design.

John Colbourne, Genomics Director at the Center for Genomics and
Bioinformatics at Indiana University has been using the HD2 12x135K
array to study how populations of the freshwater microcrustacean
Daphnia respond to environmental stress. "We begin by validating the
current list of genes and improving the gene structure models using
NimbleGen tiled expression arrays. The experimental results better
delineate transcribed regions of the genome and guide the design of a
comprehensive probe set for the 12-plex." As each array on the 12-plex
accommodates 135,000 probes, Colbourne's group was able to design
three probes for every predicted gene and one probe for every
transcribed region. "In all, 40% of the designed probes reside in
unannotated regions. No other array can easily afford this luxury. In
rapid time, our transcription profiling experiments detect the
co-regulation of all identified genes and many yet unknown genes under
a large range of conditions while simultaneously improving the genome
annotation."

It is the flexible custom design and the excellent quality of gene
expression data that sets the 12x135K arrays apart. The multiplex
format offers a cost-effective approach without compromising data
quality. Licia Selleri, Associate Professor at Cornell University
Medical School, confirms that the "use of the NimbleGen 12-plex gene
expression microarray is advantageous and more accurate than other
platforms because it allows to run replicates within the same array
that validate analysis within the same experiment." Selleri researches
the developmental contributions of human proto-oncogenes with a focus
on the biological functions of Pbx1, a homeodomain protein originally
identified as the product of an oncogene in childhood leukemias. In
her lab, they apply a variety of genetic approaches to bridge the gap
between gene discovery and gene function. She appreciates the easy
functionality of the 12x135K array and the easy interpretation of the
data. "Conducting array hybridization is relatively straightforward.
The analysis of the results is user-friendly and does not require
highly specialized informatics skills", says Selleri.

The research community has readily recognized the potential of the
Roche NimbleGen microarray technology. The arrays are already in use
for numerous applications, for instance to study gene expression
levels related to multiple signal pathways in tissues and cells.
Researchers have also taken advantage of the flexibility of the system
to identify factors involved in tissue differentiation and to assess
differential gene expression patterns of closely related species.
Further potential applications include gene expression studies in
cancer and stem cell research, cell differentiation, drug testing,
environmental research, and food testing.

"The 12x135K arrays is a powerful tool for accomplishing high
throughput gene expression profiling", says Gerd Maass, President/CEO
of Roche NimbleGen. "Combined with NimbleGen custom design option and
high probe density, these arrays allow convenient and accurate
analysis of a wide range of organisms, from the simplest bacterium to
complex mammals and plants. These arrays will accelerate functional
genomics research and support our goal of providing innovative
solutions for faster and more accurate results."

Roche NimbleGen is a leading innovator, manufacturer and supplier
of a proprietary suite of DNA microarrays, consumables, instruments
and services. Roche NimbleGen uniquely produces high-density arrays of
long oligo probes that provide greater information content and higher
data quality necessary for studying the full diversity of genomic and
epigenomic variation. The improved performance is made possible by
Roche NimbleGen's proprietary Maskless Array Synthesis (MAS)
technology, which uses digital light processing and rapid, high-yield
photochemistry to synthesize long oligo, high-density DNA microarrays
with extreme flexibility. For more information about Roche NimbleGen,
please visit the company's website at www.nimblegen.com.

About Roche

Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is one of the world's
leading research-focused healthcare groups in the fields of
pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. As the world's biggest biotech
company and an innovator of products and services for the early
detection, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, the Group
contributes on a broad range of fronts to improving people's health
and quality of life. Roche is the world leader in in-vitro diagnostics
and drugs for cancer and transplantation, and is a market leader in
virology. It is also active in other major therapeutic areas such as
autoimmune diseases, inflammatory and metabolic disorders and diseases
of the central nervous system. In 2007 sales by the Pharmaceuticals
Division totalled 36.8 billion Swiss francs, and the Diagnostics
Division posted sales of 9.3 billion francs. Roche has R&D agreements
and strategic alliances with numerous partners, including majority
ownership interests in Genentech and Chugai, and invested over 8
billion Swiss francs in R&D in 2007. Worldwide, the Group employs
about 80,000 people. Additional information is available on the
Internet at www.roche.com.

NIMBLEGEN is a trademark of Roche.

Other brands or product names are trademarks of their respective
holders

Roche Diagnostics GmbH
Dr. Burkhard Ziebolz, +49 (8856) 60 4830
Email: burkhard.ziebolz@roche.com
or
Roche NimbleGen
Janti Masani, +1 608-218-7614
Email: janti.masani@roche.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008