DNAPrint Launches Ancestry 2.0 Forensic Profiling Service and Immediately Impacts Several Criminal Investigations
2 May 2003, 12:44pm ET
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SARASOTA, Fla., May 2 /PRNewswire/ -- DNAPrint genomics, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: DNAP)(DNAPrint or the "Company"), the world leader in the measurement of genome structure for personalized medicine, qualitative forensics and consumer genomics announced today that it has begun performing Ancestry 2.0 physical profiling services for the investigative forensics market.
The Ancestry 2.0 test is a forensics version of the Company's AncestrybyDNA 2.0 test, which measures Biogeographical Ancestry (BGA) admixture proportions. BGA is the heritable component of race and DNAPrint is the first to have developed and patented methods for inferring BGA Admixture from DNA ( www.ancestrybydna.com ). From Ancestry 2.0 test results, investigators are able learn for the first time not just the majority population affiliation or ancestry of the donor, but whether and to what extent the donor is of ancestral admixture.
The Company has already applied the test to several violent crime investigations, where DNA had been left at the crime scene, but for which there were no eyewitnesses. For one of these cases, investigators had used less scientific methods to guess about the donor's heredity, and had invested investigative effort based on this guess. Ancestry 2.0 test results showed this guess to be grossly incorrect and guided the investigative team to more accurately focus their efforts.
"Thanks to the power of genomics analysis, the accuracy of Ancestry 2.0 is significantly greater than that provided by older statistical methods for inferring ancestry from DNA," said Dr. Tony Frudakis, CSO, Founder and Laboratory Director of DNAPrint. "Of over 2,200 blind samples tested, the test is yet to get one wrong."
Ancestry represents such a breakthrough in capability because, rather than use sequences that were conveniently available from the older, slower genetics age (and selected for reasons other than their BGA information content), the Company has applied cutting-edge technology to screen the entire human genome for its very best Ancestry Informative Markers or AIMs. Further, rather than use dichotomous classification schemes (i.e. where a sample is classified into a single group), which are not appropriate for samples from admixed backgrounds, we determine proportional affiliation.
"The difference between determining biogeographical ancestry admixture with Ancestry 2.0 and the old methods of racial classification is like that between a solid state transistor and a vacuum tube," said Richard Gabriel, CEO and President of DNAPrint genomics. The Ancestry 2.0 test comprises one of four the Company expects to provide under the DNAWITNESS 2.0 forensic testing banner, the remaining three for the inference of iris color, hair color and precise skin tone are still in development and/or validation. DNAPrint lists the Ancestry 2.0 test at $1,000 per criminal sample, but provides customers up to 20 blind validations with their first order.
Physical Profiling from Ancestry 2.0 Through Informatics:
DNA is commonly left at crime scenes, but until DNAPrint developed tests for doing so, no physical information could be reliably read from that DNA. In contrast to standard DNA testing, Ancestry 2.0 is expected to allow investigators to "paint" a partial physical profile from crime scene DNA, which could assist with the investigative process much like a human eyewitness could. For example, DNAPrint scientists and collaborators have used various versions of the Ancestry test to show correlation between European admixture and skin melanin content in African Americans (Shriver et al., Skin pigmentation, biogeographical ancestry and admixture mapping, Human Genetics (2003) 112: 387-399). A precise inference of skin tone will require a specific genetic test, which the Company is working on, but to allow forensics customers the immediate ability to make inferences of physical characteristics from Ancestry 2.0 results, the Company intends to provide forensic customers next quarter with access to a database of several hundred digital photographs from individuals who have taken part in the Company's validation studies. The customer would query the database to retrieve photographs for every individual whose profile falls within a specified range, such as "80% European + 20% sub-Saharan African +/- 10%". Through inspection, the customer would gauge variation in physical appearance associated with that range.
About DNAPrint genomics, Inc.
DNAPrint genomics Inc. was founded by a team of scientists with research and commercial experience in high-level mathematical modeling, programming and molecular genetics. Using proprietary human genome research methods, the Company develops pharma-predictive tests for matching patients with drugs based on their genetic constitution, discovers disease genes for the development of new drugs and develops new forensic genomics and recreational genomics testing products. The Company is traded on the Nasdaq OTC Bulletin Board under the ticker symbol: DNAP. For more information about the company, please visit www.dnaprint.com .
All statements in this press release that are not historical are forward- looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act as amended. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, including, but not limited to, uncertainties relating to technologies, product development, manufacturing, market acceptance, cost and pricing of DNAPrint's products, dependence on collaborations and partners, regulatory approvals, competition, intellectual property of others, and patent protection and litigation. DNAPrint genomics, Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in DNAPrint's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statements are based.
Media and Press Contacts
Phil Brooks
DNAPrint genomics, Inc.
Director, Marketing Communications
(941) 366-3400
pbrooks@dnaprint.com
SOURCE DNAPrint genomics, Inc.
-0- 05/02/2003
/CONTACT: Phil Brooks, Director, Marketing Communications, DNAPrint
genomics, Inc., +1-941-366-3400, or
pbrooks@dnaprint.com
/
/Web site:
dnaprint.com
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(DNAP)
CO: DNAPrint genomics, Inc.
ST: Florida
IN: MTC OTC
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