WaferGen's SmartChip(TM) System Performance Successfully Demonstrated in Initial...

WaferGen's SmartChip(TM) System Performance Successfully Demonstrated in
Initial Phase of Alpha Testing Program

FREMONT, Calif., Jan. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- WaferGen Biosystems,
Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: WGBS), a leading developer of state-of-the-art gene
expression, genotyping, cell biology and stem cell research systems, today
announced that academic researchers have successfully demonstrated the
performance of the company's SmartChip(TM) Real-Time PCR System in the initial
phase of the platform's ongoing alpha testing program. Initial tests
conducted at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have demonstrated
a number of the SmartChip system's key analytical specifications, showing the
product's complete workflow on 1,000 oncology genes using small amounts of
samples from emphysema, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and healthy
patients.
Key workflow elements that have been successfully demonstrated include
primer-ready SmartChips and the drying and reconstitution of primers for rapid
high-throughput 100 nL real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
Additionally, the platform's ability to perform PCR in nano-volumes without
any pre-amplification has been demonstrated using various control genes, as
well as indicators of other genes that are known to be expressed in patient
samples. The next phase of the alpha testing program will focus on using the
SmartChip system to identify biomarkers of interest. Upon completion of the
ongoing alpha testing program, data will be presented and/or published in
appropriate academic venues.
"The successful demonstration of the performance of the revolutionary
SmartChip system in a rigorous research setting is a tremendous step forward
for this novel platform. We are particularly excited that the platform has
shown the ability to capture the expression of genes that have not been able
to be seen using microarrays," stated Alnoor Shivji, WaferGen's chairman and
chief executive officer. "We expect that this is just the first milestone
related to the SmartChip alpha testing program and look forward to new
findings on biomarker discovery and validation."
The SmartChip alpha testing program involves the study of RNA isolated
from lung tissue samples from healthy patients, as well as patients with
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and IPF. Researchers are
screening these RNA samples with the SmartChip Real-Time PCR System in order
to assess the platform's performance in conducting novel gene expression
research.
About the SmartChip Real-Time PCR System
The SmartChip Real-Time PCR System(TM) is designed as the first whole
genome, high-throughput gene expression real-time PCR platform. This
innovative system, combined with next-generation chemistry and optimized
assays being developed by WaferGen, promises to deliver significant speed and
cost advantages to researchers in the gene expression and genotyping markets.
Based on collaborations established with leading research institutions,
WaferGen believes that the SmartChip Real-Time PCR System is positioned as the
platform of choice for biomarker discovery and validation. It is estimated
that the genetic analysis market alone (comprised of gene expression and
genotyping analysis) had approximately $2.4 billion in worldwide revenues in
2006 ($1.74 billion for gene expression and $650 million for genotyping).
Total global revenue for this market is estimated to reach approximately $5.0
billion by 2012.
WaferGen believes the SmartChip Real-Time PCR System will be the first
platform to combine the high-throughput capability and cost efficiencies of
existing microarrays, with the sensitivity and accuracy of real-time PCR.
Specifically, the SmartChip Real-Time PCR System's high density, rapid cycling
configuration is expected to provide industry-leading throughput levels, while
offering discovery and validation capabilities in a single step. The result
will be the ability to conduct gene expression research at a fraction of the
time and cost currently produced by existing instrument systems. This
decrease in research time has broad economic implications across the drug
development industry, particularly for pharmaceutical companies seeking
avenues for reducing time to market for their therapeutics. Further, the
company believes such throughput will dramatically impact the cost of such
assays.
Beyond the significant time and cost advantages, the simplicity of the
SmartChip Real-Time PCR System is unparalleled. The system will provide a
number of key ease-of-use features including content-ready chips with gene
panels optimized for cancer, toxicology and whole genome. The user-friendly
SmartChip Real-Time PCR System will be preloaded with some of the reaction
components. At the same time, the system will only require a very small sample
size as compared to other technologies and platforms and will offer real-time
detection and sophisticated read-out options while assuring quantitative
real-time PCR performance.
About WaferGen
WaferGen Biosystems, Inc. is a leader in the development, manufacture and
sale of state-of-the-art systems for gene expression, genotyping, cell biology
and stem cell research for the life science and pharmaceutical industries. The
company is actively developing its SmartChip(TM) product for the gene
expression and genotyping markets. SmartChip is being developed as the first
whole genome, high throughput gene expression real-time polymerase chain
reaction (PCR) platform. This innovative system, combined with next-generation
chemistry and optimized assays being developed by WaferGen, promises to
deliver significant speed and cost advantages to researchers in the gene
expression and genotyping markets. Based on collaborations established with
leading research institutions, WaferGen believes that the SmartChip Real-Time
PCR System is positioned as the platform of choice for biomarker discovery and
validation. WaferGen currently markets its SmartSlide(TM) family of products
to companies and organizations involved in stem cell and cell biology
research. SmartSlide, which was launched in 2006, represents the first
fluidics integrated micro-incubators enabling cell biology and stem cell
research. Representative SmartSlide customers include Harvard University, Mayo
Clinic, California Institute of Technology (CalTech), Abbott Labs, and the
National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements". Such
statements include statements relating to the company's goals, plans and
projections, anticipated results of research, performance, reliability and
cost-effectiveness of the company's SmartChip and other systems, and other
statements that are not historical facts, including statements which may be
preceded by the words "intends," "may," "will," "plans," "expects,"
"anticipates," "projects," "predicts," "estimates," "aims," "believes,"
"hopes," "potential" or similar words.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, are
based on certain assumptions and are subject to various known and unknown
risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the company.
Actual results may differ materially from the expectations contained in the
forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause such differences include
the risks that: (i) the company may be unsuccessful in commercially developing
its products or in achieving market acceptance of new and relatively unproven
technologies; (ii) the company will need to raise additional capital to meet
its business requirements in the future and the company may not be able to do
so on reasonable terms or at all; (iii) the company's proprietary intellectual
property rights may not adequately protect its products and technologies; and
(iv) the company expects intense competition in its target markets, including
from companies that have much greater resources than the company, and there
can be no assurance that the company will be able to compete effectively.
More detailed information about the company and the risk factors that may
affect the realization of forward-looking statements is set forth in the
company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the
company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007, and
its subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC. Investors
and security holders are urged to read this document free of charge on the
SEC's web site at http://www.sec.gov. The company does not undertake to
publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise.
Contact:
Vida Communication (on behalf of WaferGen)
Stephanie Diaz (investors) Tim Brons (media)
415-675-7400 415-675-7400
sdiaz@vidacommunication.com tbrons@vidacommunication.com

SOURCE WaferGen Biosystems, Inc.

investors, Stephanie Diaz, sdiaz@vidacommunication.com, or media, Tim Brons,
tbrons@vidacommunication.com, both of Vida Communication, +1-415-675-7400, for
WaferGen Biosystems, Inc.