WaferGen Biosystems, Inc.
(OTC:WGBS) (BULLETIN BOARD: WGBS) , a leading developer of state-of-the-art
genetic analysis systems, today announced that the University of Texas Southwestern
Medical Center demonstrated the utility of WaferGen's new proprietary SmartChip(TM)
Nano-dispenser. The Nano-dispenser is used for loading samples and enzymes onto
content-ready SmartChips for use with WaferGen's SmartChip(TM) Real-Time PCR
System. The SmartChip Real-Time PCR System is designed to boost pathway-based
gene discovery and exploration enabling researchers to discover new gene markers
that could be missed using current microarray methods of discovery.
"The SmartChip Nano-dispenser enables the loading of a single sample into
5,184 nano-wells in a single step in approximately 20 minutes--at least three
times faster than standard nano-dispensers," said Spencer Brown, Ph.D.,
Director of Plastic Surgery Research, Nancy Lee and Perry Bass of the Advanced
Wound Healing Laboratory at UT Southwestern. "It is simple, easy to use,
reliable, and cost-effective since we don't need to purchase elaborate and expensive
equipment. Furthermore, its small footprint provides an added advantage of requiring
less space. This contributes to our ability to use the SmartChip system to conduct
gene expression research at a fraction of the time and cost of existing instrument
systems."
"By demonstrating the utility of the SmartChip Nano-dispenser, UT Southwestern
has provided additional verification of the role that the SmartChip system can
play in decreasing research time and increasing the cost-efficiency of validating
relevant gene expression biomarkers, and eventually assessing their impact on
patient response to treatment," said Alnoor Shivji, Chairman and CEO, WaferGen.
"This decrease in research time has broad economic implications for researchers
discovering biomarkers and across the drug development industry, particularly
for companies seeking ways to reduce time to market for their therapeutics or
diagnostic products."
In January 2009, WaferGen and UT Southwestern established a collaboration under
which UT Southwestern is conducting novel research projects using the SmartChip
Real-Time PCR System in order to identify and validate gene expression biomarkers
related to wound healing. Subsequent to this agreement, in March 2009, WaferGen
and UT Southwestern established a novel wound healing research collaboration
with IR BioSciences Holdings, Inc., a development-stage biotechnology company
focused on the research, development and licensing of ImmuneRegen's wound healing
drug candidate, Homspera®.
Posted November 12th, 2009
