Text of WSJ article discussing latest AFFX stuff.
October 4, 2000
Affymetrix To Focus On Computing Needs Of Bio Research
Dow Jones Newswires
NEW YORK -- While Affymetrix Inc. (AFFX) is "on track" to exceed $180
million in revenue this year, the company is looking to capitalize on
recently-announced opportunities, Chief Financial Officer Edward Hurwitz told
investors Wednesday.
In prepared remarks at the UBS Warburg Global Life Sciences Conference,
Hurwitz discussed ways Affymetrix will fulfill computing needs of the
increasingly information-intensive field of biological research.
Affymetrix's $70 million acquisition of Neomorphic Inc. announced Monday,
which is expected to close quickly, will build on its gene chip analysis pool.
Neomorphic will be the "engine" to design gene chip arrays with more
information, said Hurwitz.
Neomorphic will develop chips incorporating the genomes available in the
public domain, annotating this information with higher resolution, and
connecting to the Internet so customers can click through to the underlying
genomics databases. Hurwitz believes these genomic arrays will be available in
the next six to nine months.
Affymetrix also plans to expand its genotyping business with the recent
establishment of its Perlegen Sciences unit.
Perlegen's initial objective in the next 12 months is to scan the human genome
sequence 50 times in order to detect and identify patterns. Perlegen will put this
entire information on a wafer as opposed to a chip, Hurwitz said.
With such haplotypes, or genome-wide variations in predictable patterns,
customers can conduct association studies that are developed by Perlegen, on
broadbased populations.
Both of these corporate developments demonstrate "we are not standing still,"
said Hurwitz.
-Beth Mantz, Dow Jones Newswires; 201-938-5287
Copyright © 2000 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. |
