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OpGen, Inc. Introduces Unique Single Molecule DNA Analysis Technology

Posted on: Wednesday, 10 September 2003, 06:00 CDT

MADISON, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 10, 2003--

Unique System for Single Molecule DNA Analysis of Whole Genomes, from

Microbes to Man

OpGen, Inc., a leader in single molecule DNA technology, announced the commercial launch of its Optical Mapping(TM) system for rapid, cost-effective analysis of whole genomes, from microbes to man. The system provides a uniquely powerful tool for high-resolution genome-wide analysis of genetic variation in populations of organisms, identifying insertions, deletions, translocations and other rearrangements not readily detected by other genome analysis methods. Optical Mapping will be used to discover why patients experience toxic side effects, or fail to respond to medication and to identify the causes of antibiotic resistance and virulence in pathogenic organisms. OpGen expects to initiate its first pharmacogenomics study, analyzing cancer genome rearrangements associated with response to chemotherapy, early next year. Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) attendees are invited to preview the system in OpGen's booth #435 on September 14-17.

Optical Mapping was developed by Dr. David Schwartz, inventor of Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis and Professor of Genetics and Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Optical Mapping has been used for identification and comparison of microbial isolates, measurement of long haplotypes directly from genomic DNA, and assessing the accuracy of DNA sequence assembly in whole genome sequencing projects.

"Optical Mapping has the potential to screen whole human genomes for genetic variation, in minutes," said Dr. Schwartz. "This will allow genetic screening of entire populations, at low cost, providing the ultimate molecular diagnostic and pharmacogenomics system. It will revolutionize pharmacogenomics."

Dr. Colin Dykes, OpGen's Chief Scientific Officer, concurs, noting "This is a case of the right technology at the right time. Recent publications report that insertions and deletions (indels) appear to be more important than single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in accounting for sequence variation, evolutionary change and gene defects. Although Optical Mapping does detect SNPs, the system is primarily designed to identify genomic rearrangements, including indels, translocations and repetitive elements, in any genome. As attention shifts from SNPs to indels, Optical Mapping is perhaps the only system that can detect these events quickly, cheaply, and with high resolution, across entire genomes."

Dr. Dykes was recruited in September 2002 as Chief Scientific Officer of OpGen. Previously, he was UK Genetics Director for Glaxo Wellcome (now GlaxoSmithKline) and led GW's UK genetics and genomics programs from 1993-1998. Prior to joining OpGen, he was Vice President for Research and Genomics at Variagenics, Inc., the Cambridge-based pharmacogenomics company. Dr. Dykes is an internationally-recognized expert in pharmacogenetics and genomics, with more than 20 years experience in applying molecular biology, genetics and genomics to the discovery and development of human therapeutics and diagnostics.

Optical Mapping involves the capture of multiple copies of whole genomes, as collections of long single DNA molecules isolated directly from cells without amplification or cloning, immobilized in dense arrays on Optical Chips(TM). Markers are scored simultaneously, in a single cost-effective manipulation, to produce high-resolution Optical Maps that can be used to characterize and compare genomes from any organism with no need for prior sequence information. Presence or absence of markers, and their distance apart, are scored to compare closely related genomes, to identify organisms and to detect genomic rearrangements such as indels.

OpGen is providing Optical Mapping as a commercial service to industrial, academic and clinical organizations, for the analysis of organisms ranging from mycoplasma to maize.

"Scientists send either DNA samples or cells to OpGen to be analyzed at our Madison facilities," says Dykes. "Although our primary focus has been on microbial genomes to date, we are beginning to work on plant DNA, and expect to initiate our first pharmacogenomics (human) study next year. Optical Mapping will provide a powerful tool to improve both drug discovery and drug development, allowing cost-effective whole genome analysis of patients in clinical trials to identify genetic variation associated with failure to respond to a drug candidate or toxic side effects."

OpGen's Scientific Advisory Board, chaired by Professor Schwartz, includes Nobel Laureate Dr. Kary Mullis, inventor of PCR; Dr. Michael Waterman, Professor of Biological Sciences and Mathematics at the University of Southern California; and Dr. Julie Korenberg, Professor of Pediatrics and Human Genetics in the School of Medicine at the University of California in Los Angeles.

Senior management includes Dr. Dykes; Dr. Stanley Rose, Chairman of the Board, and also President & CEO of Virgin Biosystems in Brookline, Massachusetts, Director of GenTel in Madison, Wisconsin, Director of the Foundation for Spine Research in Boston and Senior Advisor, Biotechnology for Wildwood Capital in North Caldwell, New Jersey. Dr. Rose is a founder of OpGen and is formerly Vice President of Affymetrix, an Affymetrix fellow and founder of Genetic Microsystems. Daniel Broderick, Managing Director of Mason Wells Biomedical fund is acting as interim CEO. The rest of the team is rounded out by Bill Spencer, Director of Business Development and Dr. Scott Kohn, Director of Software Development and John Henkhaus, Director of Laboratory Operations.

OpGen is the pioneer of single DNA molecule Optical Mapping, a rapid, cost-effective way to analyze whole genomes from microbes to man. Optical Mapping provides a uniquely powerful tool for high-resolution genome-wide analysis of genetic variation in populations of organisms, enabling the life sciences community to efficiently and cost-effectively develop products to improve human health and welfare.

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