LifeCodexx Launches PraenaTest® in Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein and Switzerland With Sequenom-Licensed Technology

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Sequenom, Inc. (NASDAQ: SQNM), a life sciences company providing innovative diagnostic testing and genetic analysis solutions, today announced that its European licensing partner, LifeCodexx, is launching its PraenaTest® service in more than 70 prenatal clinics and hospitals in Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.  This follows receipt of a CE Mark, a regulatory approval allowing LifeCodexx to market the test.

"Based on our licensing agreement with Sequenom, we are pleased to be the first to provide such a testing service in the German speaking countries," said Dr. Michael Lutz, CEO of LifeCodexx AG. "The PraenaTest® fulfills the clinical requirement of physicians and patients as a safer method to assess the risk of a pregnancy carrying fetal trisomy 21."

The highly accurate non-invasive genetic blood test is intended for use among women whose pregnancies are at increased risk for fetal aneuploidy, specifically to detect fetal trisomy 21. It is a complement to other prenatal assessments and can help determine whether invasive diagnostic testing, such as amniocentesis, is necessary.

"We're very proud to see an international acceptance of our proprietary cell-free DNA technology through our successful collaboration with LifeCodexx," said Harry S. Hixson, Jr., Ph.D., Chairman and CEO of Sequenom. "We are pleased to see LifeCodexx providing the PraenaTest® for women who are at increased risk of carrying a child with trisomy 21."

About Sequenom

Sequenom, Inc. (NASDAQ: SQNM) is a life sciences company committed to improving healthcare through revolutionary genetic analysis solutions. Sequenom develops innovative technology, products and diagnostic tests that target and serve discovery and clinical research, and molecular diagnostics markets. The company was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in San Diego, California. Sequenom maintains a Web site at http://www.sequenom.com to which Sequenom regularly posts copies of its press releases as well as additional information about Sequenom. Interested persons can subscribe on the Sequenom Web site to email alerts or RSS feeds that are sent automatically when Sequenom issues press releases, files its reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission or posts certain other information to the Web site.

Forward-Looking Statements

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release, including statements regarding the launch of the PraenaTest® by LifeCodexx and its acceptance and the performance and benefits of the test, and Sequenom's commitment to improving healthcare through revolutionary genetic analysis solutions, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including the risks and uncertainties associated with the efforts and performance of, and Sequenom's reliance on, external partners such as LifeCodexx,  Sequenom's ability to develop and commercialize new technologies and products and to scale up its operations to meet increased product demand, particularly for new technologies and products such as prenatal and other diagnostics testing services, Sequenom's ability to manage its existing cash resources or raise additional cash resources, customer demand for and Sequenom's ability to obtain payor reimbursement and payment collection and the timing thereof, for diagnostic test services, Sequenom's ability to convert to accrual accounting for its diagnostic test services, competition, intellectual property protection and intellectual property rights of others, government regulation particularly with respect to diagnostic products and laboratory developed tests, obtaining or maintaining regulatory approvals, ongoing litigation, including patent litigation, and other risks detailed from time to time in Sequenom, Inc.'s most recent Quarterly Report on Securities and Exchange Commission Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Securities and Exchange Commission Form 10-K and other documents subsequently filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements are based on current information that may change and you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, and Sequenom, Inc. undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the issuance of this press release.

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SOURCE Sequenom, Inc.