Illumina Launches New Software Support Program for Downstream Analysis of Microarray Data

May 1 2007, 6:00 AM EST

Business Wire

Illumina, Inc. ( NASDAQ:ILMN ) announced today the launch of Illumina Connect, a bioinformatics software partnership program established to advance data integration and analysis. This program offers Illumina customers seamless access to third-party bioinformatics providers of advanced data analysis applications for processing Illumina array data. Customers who have upgraded to Illumina's new BeadStudio 3.0 Data Analysis Software for analyzing genotyping, gene expression, and copy number variation (CNV) analysis can now take full advantage of additional statistical and advanced algorithms afforded by this new program.

Illumina Connect (www.illumina.com/IlluminaConnect) supports partnerships with several leading bioinformatics software vendors of genotyping and gene expression data analysis software. As part of this program, vendors will create customized plug-ins to Illumina's BeadStudio 3.0 Data Analysis Software that facilitates data exchange between Illumina data and the third-party software applications. Participating vendors currently include Biocomputing Platforms, GeneSifter, Golden Helix, Ingenuity Systems, Partek Genomics, Rosetta BioSoftware, Sapio Sciences Llc, SAS, and Stratagene.

"We're excited to be an Illumina Connect partner and enhance the already strong capabilities of JMP Genomics software for processing high-quality array data from Illumina," said Russ Wolfinger, Ph.D., SAS Director of Scientific Discovery and Genomics. "Researchers will find that statistical discovery from hundreds of thousands of genetic marker, copy number, and expression measurements has never been easier."

Illumina Connect is already providing significant benefit to the scientific community. In a recent collaboration with Illumina, Golden Helix developed a BeadStudio plug-in that enables researchers to export genotype data in an exceedingly compact storage format. This format enables efficient sharing and analysis by users of Golden Helix' popular genetic analysis program, HelixTree , and also streamlines the transfer, management, and downstream analysis of large-scale genetic data.

"Golden Helix provides the genetic research community with powerful software tools that help researchers overcome the statistical and technical challenges of whole genome analysis," said Christophe Lambert, Ph.D., President and CEO of Golden Helix. "Illumina Connect offers an exciting opportunity for Golden Helix and Illumina to work together to help the scientific community to streamline their data analysis processes."

"We recognize the critical role that software and hardware support plays in genomic research, where scientists are seeking more powerful data analysis and data management tools for handling large genomic-scale analysis studies," said Omoshile Clement, Ph.D., Senior Product Manager, Platforms at Illumina. "With Illumina Connect we have established a highly connected network that ensures solutions for our customers conducting biological research in a wide range of areas such as genome-wide association studies, differential expression analysis, and chromosomal copy number analysis studies."

About Illumina Connect

Illumina has initiated partnerships with leading bioinformatics software vendors in DNA and RNA microarray technologies. For more information about Illumina Connect, please visit www.illumina.com/illuminaConnect.com.

About Illumina

Illumina (www.illumina.com) is developing next-generation tools for the analysis of genetic variation and function. "Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This release may contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in any forward-looking statements are the costs and outcome of Illumina's litigation with Affymetrix, our ability to effectively integrate our recent acquisition of Solexa, Inc., Illumina's ability to further develop and commercialize its BeadArray technologies and to deploy new gene expression and genotyping products and applications for its platform technology, Illumina's ability to manufacture robust Sentrix(R) arrays and Oligator(R) oligonucleotides, Illumina's ability to scale and integrate CyVera technology, and other factors detailed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including its recent filings on Forms 10-K and 10-Q or in information disclosed in public conference calls, the date and time of which are released beforehand. Illumina disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements beyond the date of this release.

About Golden Helix, Inc.

Founded in 1998 in Bozeman, MT, Golden Helix is a leading provider of data analysis software products and services designed to accelerate life science research and increase pharmaceutical R&D productivity. The company's products enable hundreds of researchers at the world's top pharmaceutical, biotech and non-profit research organizations to discover the genes that cause disease, improve target and lead discovery processes, and advance pharmacogenetic initiatives. Its products have been cited in nearly 100 peer reviewed publications that detail ground-breaking research for discovering the genetic and environmental basis of disease and creating safer and more effective medicines.
Golden Helix is committed to Accelerating the Quest for Significance.
For more information, please visit www.goldenhelix.com.