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Munich, Germany
April 15, 2008.
MWG Biotech, European
market leader in genome sequencing and leading expert in next
generation sequencing is further expanding its capacities in
order to meet the demands of a steadily increasing number of
sequencing customers across Europe.
The newly acquired Genome Sequencer FLX system is for MWG
Biotech and its sequencing partner Eurofins Medigenomix, the
second purchase of this kind.
MWG Biotech was already the first international service provider
in Germany to offer customers access to this next generation DNA
sequencing technology.
With the new addition, MWG Biotech is now in a position to
provide even higher throughput, reliability and process security
to its customers.
The company's sequencing solution is based on the combination of
classical Sanger sequencing and sequencing-by-synthesis
technology from 454/Roche, supported by proprietary customised
bioinformatics.
The second Genome Sequencer FLX system will offer MWG Biotech
more flexibility for the development of new applications and for
meeting specific customer requirements at attractive prices. An
additional major benefit is that MWG Biotech will again be able
to set completely new standards in the quality and turn around
time of whole genome sequencing and a wide range of genome
analysis applications.
"With the second Genome Sequencer FLX system we are further
expanding our competitive edge as leading provider of genome
sequencing services", says Dr. Bruno Poddevin, COO of MWG
Biotech. "Our advanced instrumentation combined with the
expertise of our team of experienced sequencing scientists and
our efficient proprietary bioinformatics tools is an attractive
package for more and more sequencing customers worldwide who are
entrusting their projects to us as their sequencing provider of
choice."
"We applaud MWG's commitment to quality. From sequencing to data
analysis to support, MWG provides their customers with a
complete solution and powerful results," Said Chris McLeod,
President of 454 Life Sciences. "MWG's acquisition of a second
GS FLX underscores the system's role as the standard in
next-generation sequencing. With multiple options on the market
today, MWG has chosen the sequencing solution that will provide
its customers with the highest quality and most comprehensive
results from their genomic samples."
One Genome Sequencer FLX system is able to process 400.000 reads
with an average read length of 250 base pairs, resulting in 100
million base pairs generated in only 7.5 hours. The system's
long read length enables it to generate high-quality,
comprehensive results. To analyze a 5 MB bacterial genome, a
process which used to take up to several months with the Sanger
method, MWG Biotech can sequence and compare the complete genome
in just a few days.
MWG Biotech, a member of the Eurofins Group and located close
to Munich, Germany, is an international provider of DNA
sequencing services, DNA/siRNA synthesis products, Gene
Synthesis and bioinformatic services for academic and industrial
research. With production sites in Germany, the U.S., and India,
the company's strength is its strong customer orientation, fast
service and high quality products, including a series of
advanced oligonucleotide and siRNA design tools. In July 2007,
the company joined forces with Eurofins Medigenomix GmbH and
created a joined distribution company.
About Roche and the Roche
Diagnostics Division 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 Swiss
francs. Roche has R&D agreements and strategic alliances with
numerous partners, including majority ownership interests in
Genentech and Chugai, and invested more than 8 billion Swiss
francs in R&D in 2007. Worldwide, the Group employs about 79,000
people. |
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