For Immediate Release
June 11, 2007

BUFFALO, NY − Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) reports that quarterly royalty payments for its RPCI-BAC-11 library have doubled for the fourth consecutive quarter under a licensing agreement with BlueGnome, Ltd, Cambridge, UK.

The RPCI-BAC-11 library is licensed to BlueGnome for production of the CytoChip; a diagnostic microarray that is used to investigate the genetic basis of diseases ranging from leukemia to mental retardation. “This is very encouraging news and reflects the widespread adoption of the CytoChip as a clinical tool in over 13 countries,” said Richard Matner, PhD, Director of Technology Transfer at RPCI.

The Microarray and Genomics Resource at RPCI has a rich history of expertise and accomplishment in the Human Genome Project that laid the foundation for array technology development and analysis, the development and implementation of high throughput technologies and the distribution of the RPCI BAC/PAC resources worldwide. BAC (Bacterial Artificial Chromosome) and PAC (P1 Artificial Chromosome) resources are currently used for a variety of research and diagnostic purposes.

Nick Haan, CEO of BlueGnome, described the RPCI-BAC-11 library, and its associated nomenclature, as the short-hand of clinical genetics, and added, “Patients are increasingly diagnosed and reported on the basis of the genomic imbalance identified by individual clones from the RPCI-BAC-11 library. For example the loss of the sequence mapped by the clone RP11-73G23 will be recognized by clinicians as being associated with Williams Syndrome, one of 74 genetic conditions covered by the CytoChip.”

BlueGnome is licensed to use the RPCI-BAC-11 library for commercial diagnostics arrays. Dr. Matner continued, “Royalties from the RPCI-BAC-11 library are used to benefit cancer research and patient care at the Institute. We are therefore committed to ensuring that any commercial use of the RPCI-BAC-11 library is covered by the appropriate licenses.”

BlueGnome (www.cambridgebluegnome.com) is a specialist developer of software and consumables for the clinical application of arrayCGH. BlueGnome’s CytoChip, a high quality BAC microarray, has been developed in collaboration with leading laboratories of the UK NHS to support the investigation of 74 known genetic conditions, telemores and screening of the genome at a 870kb resolution in a single, dye swap experiment. For more information, visit www.cytochip.com, call +44 1223 844441 or e-mail info@cambridgebluegnome.com.

Roswell Park Cancer Institute, founded in 1898, is the nation’s first cancer research, treatment and education center and is the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in Upstate New York. RPCI is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation’s leading cancer centers. Roswell Park has affiliate sites and collaborative programs in New York, Pennsylvania, and in China. For more information, visit RPCI’s website at www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or e-mail askrpci@roswellpark.org.

 

-30-