Roche and CombiMatrix sign diagnostic deal

2 July 2001

Roche Diagnostics, a unit of Roche Holdings, has reached an agreementfor the development of genetic-based research and diagnostic tools with CombiMatrix, a unit of Acacia Research which developed microarrays, semiconductors on which thousands of genetic tests are performed simultaneously.

This deal, for Roche, represents another early commitment in the field of genetic research. Head of Roche Diagnostics, Heino von Prondzynski, says that "the demand for such tools is driven by the researchers desires to exploit information made available from the Human Genome Project. We are looking to propel ourselves into the new drug market as it will look five to seven years down the road." Dr Prondzynski also noted that the new tools will first be marketed to researchers at hospitals, academic laboratories and pharmaceutical companies that are attempting to decipher the human genome.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Dr Prondzynski has estimated that Roche can sell L500 million per year of CombiMatrix' microarray systems to the research industry, beginning early next year. This, he said, will be followed by the development of technology into a broader diagnostic tool with a potential market share as large as $3 billion.

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