iGenomics to Purchase 32 Ion Proton™ Next-Generation Sequencers

CARLSBAD, Calif., Sept. 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE) today announced that iGenomics, a privately held diagnostic service company based in Guangzhou, China, purchased 17 Ion Proton™ sequencers and plans to add 15 more instruments by the end of the year. iGenomics, which also signed a licensing and supply agreement with Life Technologies, will initially use the sequencers for research in aneuploidy screening, but plans to expand into other research applications. 

iGenomics performed more than 200 sequencing runs on Ion Proton™ sequencers over the last six months with an optimized protocol that consistently delivers well over 80 million high-quality, high-accuracy sequencing reads per run on the Ion PI chips and up to six runs in a single day.

"We've looked closely at all the platforms in the next-generation sequencing space and only Ion Torrent delivers the speed, accuracy and flexibility we need to be competitive at a price that makes economic sense for us as a startup," said iGenomics CEO Shengyu Huang. "We see a huge growth opportunity in sequencing and believe that Ion Torrent provides the ideal technology to help us quickly expand and compete in this market today and in the future."

"As the CEO of Daan Gene, I've worked closely with Life Technologies for many years and have seen firsthand the company's dedication to its partners' success in the China market," said Xing Yu Zhou, an iGenomics investor. "That gives me confidence that the Ion Proton platform is the right choice for iGenomics."

"In just a few months, iGenomics has been able to quickly develop and validate a novel assay which they are quickly bringing to market," said Gregory T. Lucier, Chairman and CEO for Life Technologies. "iGenomics demonstrates again why Ion Torrent is delivering sequencing for all, from start-ups to big service providers, around the world."

The Ion Proton™ Sequencer is For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

About Life Technologies 
Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE) is a global biotechnology company that is committed to providing the most innovative products and services to leading customers in the fields of scientific research, genetic analysis and applied sciences. With a presence in more than 180 countries, the company's portfolio of 50,000 end-to-end solutions is secured by more than 5,000 patents and licenses that span the entire biological spectrum—scientific exploration, molecular diagnostics, 21^st century forensics, regenerative medicine and agricultural research. Life Technologies has approximately 10,000 employees and had sales of $3.8 billion in 2012.

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Life Technologies Contact:
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SOURCE Life Technologies Corporation