First Catalog Cancer Biochip for Sequence Capture Now Available from febit

115 of the most common cancer genes are now available for HybSelect, febit's
highly automated technology for sequence capture enabling targeted
Next-Generation Sequencing and biomarker discovery in a wide variety of
oncology studies

LEXINGTON, Mass. and HEIDELBERG, Germany, July 13 /PRNewswire/ -- febit
holding gmbh announced today the launch of the first human cancer biochip for
HybSelect, febit's highly automated technology for sequence capture, enabling
targeted Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS). The new catalog cancer biochip
features 115 important genes which are reported to be associated with common
types of cancer by the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute.

"Molecular signatures defined by large-scale gene expression profiling are at
the forefront in developing new biomarkers and identifying new therapeutic
targets," said Professor Eckart Meese, director of the Department of Human
Molecular Genetics at Saarland University. "It is of utmost importance for
our research on malignant brain cancer to obtain deep sequencing results of
the 100 most relevant genes with high sequence coverage using the HybSelect
technique. It is equally important to obtain these results within a short
period of time and at low costs."

The availability of the automated HybSelect technology supports large-cohort
NGS studies that aim to elucidate complex diseases such as cancer, drive
forward personalized medicine and investigate new therapeutic delivery models.
febit will stay at the forefront of cancer research and include key research
study results in the next generation of febit's cancer biochips. A 2Mb exon
cancer biochip will be available this summer and a 30Mb biochip is planned
already for release in 2010.

Multiplex NGS studies based on sequence capture can be supplemented by other
molecular fingerprinting methods, including mRNA and miRNA expression
profiling. Both of these high-throughput methods can be performed using the
same febit technology as HybSelect, thereby reducing capital expenditures and
minimizing experimental variation. HybSelect and expression profiling can
easily be performed in the researcher's lab operating a Geniom RT Analyzer
from febit or by using febit's convenient Analytical Services.

About febit
febit develops, produces and markets flexible automated solutions for enabling
biochip applications in Life Sciences. febit's product portfolio includes
various instruments, optimized assays and bioanalytical services, complemented
by bioinformatics software and consulting.

For its main applications -- HybSelect, febit's innovative DNA capture method
for Next-Generation-Sequencing and protein-coding or non-coding transcriptome
profiling -- the highly advanced microfluidics of the patented Geniom Biochip
offers the highest degree of automation, flexibility and efficiency available.

For more information, please visit www.febit.com.
Contact:

febit group
Eva Sterzel
eva.sterzel@febit.com
+49 (0)6221 6510-300

Russo Partners
Martina Schwarzkopf
martina.schwarzkopf@russopartnersllc.com
+1 212 845-4292

SOURCE febit

febit group, Eva Sterzel, eva.sterzel@febit.com, +49(0)6221-6510-300; or Russo
Partners, Martina Schwarzkopf, martina.schwarzkopf@russopartnersllc.com,
+1-212-845-4292