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WaferGen Biosystems, Inc. is a leader in the development, manufacture, and sale of state-of-the-art systems for genome analysis for the life science and pharmaceutical industries.  The company is developing high speed and low cost gene expression and genotyping technology. Based on collaborations established with leading research institutions, WaferGen believes that the SmartChip Real-Time PCR System is positioned as the platform of choice for biomarker identification and validation. Combined with next-generation chemistry and optimized assays being developed by WaferGen, this innovative system promises to deliver significant speed and cost advantages to researchers in the gene expression and genotyping markets. By providing a high throughput, inexpensive, sensitive, easy to use single platform for exploration and validation, Wafergen is addressing a $2.5 billion unmet need.

The system will provide a number of key ease-of-use features including content-ready chips with gene panels optimized for micro RNA, cancer, and whole genome. WaferGen believes the SmartChip Real-Time PCR System will be the first platform to combine the high-throughput capability and cost efficiencies of existing microarrays, with the sensitivity and accuracy of real-time PCR.

The company recently announced an agreement with NuGEN Technologies, Inc., a leader in innovative genomic samples preparation, that the two companies will co-develop and co-market simple, seamlessly integrated workflows for gene expression. Under the collaborative relationship, the two companies will conduct joint product development projects to construct validated workflows with both NuGEN’s proprietary sample preparation and isothermal linear amplification products and the WaferGen SmartChip Real-Time PCR System. The projects will focus on solutions for sample preparation, preamplification, and nucleic acid detection for gene expression and target enrichment from various sample types to drive speed and simplicity.

“By combining the expertise of both companies, we can offer a simple and straightforward workflow solution for single cell analysis, archival tissues and next generation sequencing addressing the needs of customers with precious nucleic acid samples who wish to perform high-throughput, high-density real-time PCR,” said Alnoor Shivji, Chairman and CEO of WaferGen. “This will expand the market potential of our SmartChip System by offering ready-to-go applications for biomarker discovery, validation and screening.”

WaferGen Biosystems  is a presenting company at OneMedForum  NY 2011.