Caliper and Seegene Partner to Provide Innovative Multiplex Molecular Diagnostics Products

HOPKINTON, Mass. and SEOUL, Korea, Jan. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Caliper Life Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: CALP) and Seegene, Inc. (KOSDAQ: A096530) today announced that they have entered into a strategic partnership to enable Seegene's SeePlex™ multiplex diagnostic assays to run on Caliper's innovative LabChip® Dx platform. The SeePlex assays will be marketed and distributed outside of the United States in a preferred partnership for use with the LabChip Dx through Seegene's extensive network of global distributors. The parties will co-market Caliper's LabChip Dx platform and Seegene's complete line of unique multiplex diagnostic content effective immediately, and work together to implement specific content and platform technology development efforts to expand the number of diagnostic tests available, which will be offered in a unique, co-branded product brochure. Seegene and Caliper intend to work together to commercialize selected diagnostic assays with improved sensitivity and specificity while reducing overall costs.  

The LabChip Dx system, which includes specific diagnostic identification, scoring and reporting software, developed in collaboration with Seegene, is based on the same approach that has become the standard, microfluidic based, electrophoretic separation platform in life sciences research, enabling high throughput, multiplex, cost effective sample processing for discovery and validation of molecular and companion diagnostics.  The platform can analyze large numbers of multiplex samples using very minimal volume of sample with automatic pipetting and avoids the need to further purify or dilute diagnostic PCR products.  The cost-effective approach of Caliper's robust microfluidics technology explains its high rate of adoption among research laboratories around the world.  

Seegene's proprietary technologies and products have been shown in roughly 500 publications and posters to deliver more accurate and cost effective results in diagnostic testing, a huge benefit for clinical testing laboratories, where accuracy and speed are critical. Seegene's Dual Priming Oligonucleotide (DPO) approach to PCR-based assays uses a new technique for DNA priming which is structurally and functionally different from traditional PCR priming. Seegene has successfully validated a wide variety of assays utilizing DPO technology in various markets around the world.

"Caliper continues to develop innovative microfluidic solutions that uniquely enable molecular and companion diagnostics," said Kevin Hrusovsky, President and CEO of Caliper Life Sciences. "This agreement to partner with Seegene's innovative multiplex diagnostic content on the LabChip Dx platform should dramatically improve the economics of diagnostic testing and pave the way for the development of critical diagnostics to accelerate the worldwide implementation of personalized medicine.  We believe that Seegene's DPO technology uniquely enables sensitive and specific, highly multiplexed assays directly from clinical samples, significantly improving the economics of today for centralized and hospital based diagnostic testing."

"We are pleased to partner with Caliper for developing new and highly innovative molecular and companion diagnostic products," said Jong-Yoon Chun, Seegene Founder and CEO.  "Our unique SeePlex technology enables highly multiplexed PCR directly from clinical samples. When coupled with Caliper's microfludics based electrophoretic LabChip platforms, the SeePlex assays enable new paradigms for a variety of analytes in a fully automated and highly cost effective manner. We believe our partnership to commercialize on Caliper's LabChip Dx platform should provide the most competitive and cost effective approach to diagnosing and managing a variety of threats to public health, thus contributing to the improvement of worldwide health."

About Caliper Life Sciences

Caliper Life Sciences is a premier provider of cutting-edge technologies enabling researchers in the life sciences industry to create life-saving and enhancing medicines and diagnostic tests more quickly and efficiently. Caliper is aggressively innovating new technology to bridge the gap between in vitro assays and in vivo results and then translating those results into cures for human disease. Caliper's portfolio of offerings includes state-of-the-art microfluidics, lab automation & liquid handling, optical imaging technologies, and discovery & development outsourcing solutions. For more information please visit www.caliperLS.com.

The LabChip Dx utilizes Caliper's innovative microfluidics technology to perform reproducible, high-resolution, electrophoretic separations for analyzing multiplex PCR products.

Caliper and LabChip are registered trademarks of Caliper Life Sciences, Inc.

About Seegene, Inc.

Seegene, Inc. is a leading molecular diagnostics company developing, manufacturing and marketing innovative "multiplex" (or "multi-pathogen detection") molecular diagnostic products and services. It holds proprietary technologies of both PCR and Real-time PCR named ACP, DPO, and READ technologies, which sets a standard in high-throughput and simultaneous multi-pathogen detection called "multiplex PCR." Seegene's mission is to maintain leadership in molecular diagnostics for infectious diseases, genetics, pharmacogenetics, and oncology using innovative proprietary technologies.

The SeePlex™ utilizes highly specific technology using DPO (Dual Priming Oligonucleotide) primers to detect multi-pathogens in a single reaction on electrophoresis platforms with great reliability and throughput, ultimately providing the most economical basis for saving time, labor and cost.   For more information please visit www.seegene.com

The statements in this press release regarding future events, including statements regarding Caliper's and Seegene's intent to work together to commercialize selected diagnostic assays with improved sensitivity and specificity while reducing overall costs, and Caliper's and Seegene's belief that the combination of Seegene's innovative multiplex diagnostic content with Caliper's LabChip Dx platform will significantly improve the current economics of centralized and hospital based diagnostic testing, are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including that Caliper and Seegene may encounter unanticipated difficulties in obtaining the superior performance of Seegene's diagnostic assays on Caliper's LabChip Dx platform.  Further information on risks faced by Caliper are detailed under the caption "Risks Related To Our Business" in Caliper's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009.  Our filings are available on a web site maintained by the Securities and Exchange Commission at http://www.sec.gov. Caliper does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking or other statements in this release.

SOURCE Caliper Life Sciences, Inc.

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