Sequenom Laboratories Expands Access to MaterniT21™ PLUS Test

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 14, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Sequenom, Inc. (NASDAQ: SQNM), a life sciences company providing innovative testing and genetic analysis solutions, announced today its wholly owned subsidiary, Sequenom Laboratories, entered into an agreement to offer access to its MaterniT21™ PLUS laboratory-developed test to Mayo Medical Laboratories.

"We are delighted to expand our offerings to our national clients to offer the MaterniT21 PLUS test to physicians who have patients who are at high risk for fetal chromosomal abnormalities," says Dr. Franklin Cockerill, III, M.D, Chief Executive Officer of Mayo Medical Laboratories.

"Mayo Clinic is clearly committed to research, innovation and patient care, and we welcome this arrangement with them to expand access to our MaterniT21 PLUS test," said William Welch, President and COO of Sequenom, Inc.

Sequenom Laboratories was the first to market a noninvasive prenatal laboratory-developed test for fetal chromosomal aneuploidies. The MaterniT21 PLUS test analyzes the relative amount of 21, 18, 13, as well as X and Y chromosomal material in cell-free DNA. The test also reports additional findings for the presence of subchromosomal microdeletions and duplications which complement the MaterniT21 PLUS test core findings. The test is intended for use in pregnant women at increased risk for fetal chromosomal abnormalities and is indicated for use as early as 10 weeks' gestation. Estimates suggest there are about 750,000 pregnancies at high risk for fetal chromosomal abnormalities each year in the United States. The MaterniT21 PLUS test is available exclusively through Sequenom Laboratories as a testing service provided to physicians. To learn more about the test, please visit www.laboratories.sequenom.com.

About Sequenom
Sequenom, Inc. (NASDAQ: SQNM) is a life sciences company committed to improving healthcare through revolutionary genomic and genetic analysis solutions. Sequenom develops innovative technology, products and diagnostic tests that target and serve discovery and clinical research, and molecular diagnostic 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.

About Sequenom Laboratories
Sequenom Laboratories, a CAP accredited and CLIA-certified molecular diagnostics laboratory, has developed a broad range of laboratory tests, with a focus on prenatal and ophthalmological diseases and conditions. Branded under the names SensiGene™, MaterniT21™ PLUS, HerediT™, NextView™ and RetnaGene™, these molecular genetic laboratory-developed tests provide early patient management information for obstetricians, geneticists, maternal fetal medicine specialists and ophthalmologists. Sequenom Laboratories is changing the landscape in genetic disorder diagnostics using proprietary cutting edge technologies. 

Sequenom^®, MaterniT21™ PLUS, SensiGene^®, HerediT™, NextView™, and RetnaGene™ are trademarks of Sequenom, Inc. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.

About Mayo Medical Laboratories
Mayo Clinic offers proven diagnostic tests to more than 5,000 health care institutions around the world through Mayo Medical Laboratories, Mayo Clinic's reference laboratory.  Revenue from Mayo Medical Laboratories' testing is used to support medical education and research at Mayo Clinic.  www.MayoMedicalLaboratories.com

Forward-Looking Statement

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release, including statements regarding Sequenom's (including Sequenom, Inc. and Sequenom Laboratories) expectations regarding performance under, or the benefits or impact of the agreement with Mayo Medical Laboratories on Sequenom, physicians, patients, and healthcare, 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 reliance upon the collaborative efforts of Mayo Medical Laboratories, Sequenom's ability to develop and commercialize new technologies and products, particularly new technologies such as prenatal and other diagnostics and laboratory developed tests, Sequenom's ability to manage its existing cash resources or raise additional cash resources, 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 and Annual Reports on Securities and Exchange Commission Forms 10-Q and 10-K, respectively, 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 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.