Sequenom and PE Biosystems Enter MS Products Supply Agreement

Sequenom Inc. (San Diego, CA) and the PerSeptive Biosystems Division of PE Biosystems (Framingham, MA), which are both exhibiting at DrugDiscovery '99 in Boston, announced during the show that they have entered into a supply agreement to provide mass spectrometry products for Sequenom's MassArray technology and its SpectroCHIP miniaturized array format. "We are pleased that PerSeptive Biosystems, a world leader in MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer production offers technology that supports Sequenom's SpectroCHIP array format," said Hubert Koster, Sequenom's President and CEO. "The addition of this key supplier relationship further validates the acceptance of Sequenom's MassArray format as we move into our commercial phase. Our customers will be able to benefit from the quality biomolecular analysis of PerSeptive Biosystems' mass spectrometer united with the accuracy and high throughput of Sequenom's MassArray technology."

"Sequenom's SpectroCHIP is a precision-machined silicon wafer on which MS samples are prepared and from which samples are presented to MS instruments.

PerSeptive's Voyager-DE mass spectrometer will become a key component of Sequenom's MassArray system that also integrates SpectroCHIP arrays, proprietary solid phase enzymatic reactions and customized software, enabling the analysis of biomolecules with 100% accuracy and at industrial-scale high throughput. The Company's MassArray Analytical System is designed for use in large-scale pharmacogenomics and life science research and product development programs. Sequenom's products allow the validation and scoring of genetic markers and the stratification of patient populations for clinical studies with the speed, accuracy and cost-effectiveness required of an industrial process.

According to Joe Malandrakis, Vice President and General Manager of PerSeptive Biosystems, "This agreement allows Sequenom to supply their customers with the Voyager-DE Biospectrometry Workstations to obtain the accurate results required for successful mass analysis. We are looking forward to contributing to Sequenom's MassArray technology and to build upon this relationship between the two companies."

"PerSeptive's Voyager MALDI-TOF Biospectrometry Workstation"

MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (MS) has had a fundamental impact on the analytical process, since it detects biomolecules directly and therefore labels and separation steps are not needed. MALDI-TOF MS directly measures molecules during time-of-flight according to the difference in molecular weights, combining separation, detection and characterization in one single step. Characterization of a molecule is obtained because the weight of a molecule is a physical standard and allows unambiguous identification. This combined process of separation, detection and characterization takes place in less than milliseconds because the molecular ions are flying through the high vacuum without resistance, and, with Sequenom's bioinformatics software, the signals are immediately recorded as electronic signals in the computer, ready for further data mining and archiving.

For more information: Abigail Devine, Investor Relations, Sequenom Inc., 11555 Sorrento Valley Rd., San Diego, CA 92121-1331. Tel: 619-350-0345. Fax: 619-350-0344.

Edited by Angelo DePalma