FREMONT, Calif., March 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- WaferGen Biosystems, Inc. , a leading developer of state-of-the-art gene expression, genotyping, cell biology and stem cell research systems, today announced that it has launched the SmartSlide 200 Micro-Incubation System, the latest offering in its SmartSlide product line. The SmartSlide 200 Micro-Incubation System builds upon WaferGen’s existing SmartSlide products by offering researchers programmable perfusion of multiple nutrients and gases (oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen) for the first time. The ability to precisely control and vary these parameters helps researchers closely mimic physiological growth conditions, allowing them to create anoxia and hypoxia conditions which are critical for growth and differentiation of stem cells.
“We are very excited to launch our SmartSlide 200 Micro-Incubation System as it provides critical functionality innovations to researchers, particularly those in the stem cell arena,” said Alnoor Shivji, WaferGen’s chairman and chief executive officer. “By adding programmable nutrient and gas perfusion to our SmartSlide platform we are allowing customers to create optimal research and cell growth conditions that more closely mimic those in nature than other available technologies. In doing so, we believe that this new product establishes a new standard for growing and differentiating stem cells.”
In connection with the launch of the SmartSlide 200, WaferGen announced that Paul Simmons, Ph.D., director of the Centre for Stem Cell Research at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and a leading authority in the area of stem cells, is the first customer to adopt the product. Dr. Simmons and his research team intend to use the SmartSlide 200 Micro-Incubation System to provide critical insight into the cellular interactions that regulate stem cell properties. The platform will support research projects designed to fundamentally understand stem cells and translate their unique biological properties into novel potential solutions for a variety of medical and therapeutic purposes, including cultivating mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), improving the safety of cord blood transplantations, and assisting in the repair of skeletal defects.
WaferGen’s SmartSlide Micro-Incubation platform is a first-of-its-kind family of integrated fluidics exchange micro-incubation products that work seamlessly with inverted microscopes. This breakthrough technology is enabling stem cell and cell biology researchers to conduct complex time lapse imaging studies to characterize, differentiate and proliferate cells, as well as grow stem, primary and other difficult to cultivate cells in consistently optimal physiological conditions. These innovative capabilities will allow researchers to pursue cutting-edge research topics that are not addressable with existing technology.
“We are very pleased with Dr. Simmons’ selection of the SmartSlide Micro-Incubation System as a supporting instrument in his pioneering stem cell research efforts and we look forward to a long and productive relationship with him and his laboratory,” said Mr. Shivji.
Dr. Simmons is an international authority on stem cells and is the immediate past president of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR). He is a much sought-after speaker on the topic of stem cells, having accepted invitations to present at a wide variety of scientific conferences both internationally and within the United States.
About the SmartSlide(TM) Micro-Incubation System
WaferGen has developed and is currently marketing the SmartSlide Micro-Incubation System, a first-of-its-kind family of integrated fluidics exchange micro-incubation products that work seamlessly with inverted microscopes. This breakthrough technology is enabling cell biology and stem cell researchers to conduct complex time lapse imaging studies to characterize, differentiate and proliferate cells, as well as grow stem, primary and other difficult to cultivate cells in consistently optimal physiological conditions. These innovative capabilities will allow researchers to pursue cutting-edge research topics that are not addressable with existing technology.
The core element of the SmartSlide Micro-Incubation System is the compact, sterile and disposable SmartSlide-6 Micro-Incubator which is designed to maintain cells at specific physiological conditions for prolonged cell or tissue imaging. The SmartSlide-6 Micro-Incubator allows for programmable fluidics exchanging, enabling the delivery of up to six nutrient media and gas into each of its six individual wells in both intermittent and continuous perfusion modes.
WaferGen has developed a family of SmartSlide Micro-Incubation System products built upon the SmartSlide-6 Micro-Incubator that offers cell biology and stem cell researchers varying levels of control over specific environmental conditions such as nutrient flow, temperature, humidity, gas and pH. Each of these SmartSlide Micro-Incubation System products incorporates easy-to-use graphical interface software that allows for complete walk-away automation. The SmartSlide Micro-Incubation System family of products consists of four currently marketed products: SmartSlide 50 Micro-Incubation System(TM), SmartSlide 100 Micro-Incubation System(TM), SmartSlide 150 Micro-Incubation System(TM), and SmartSlide 200 Micro-Incubation System(TM).
Since the launch of its SmartSlide Micro-Incubation System in late 2006, WaferGen has seen a positive response from many leading research institutions and organizations. The company’s current SmartSlide(TM) Micro-Incubation System customers include Harvard University, Mayo Clinic, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Abbott Labs, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and several leading pharmaceutical companies.
About WaferGen
WaferGen Biosystems Inc. is a leader in the development, manufacture and sale of state-of-the-art systems for gene expression, genotyping, cell biology and stem cell research for the life science and pharmaceutical industries. The company is actively developing its SmartChip(TM) product for the gene expression and genotyping markets. SmartChip(TM) is being developed as the first whole genome, high throughput gene expression real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) platform and promises to deliver significant speed and cost advantages to researchers in the gene expression and genotyping markets. WaferGen currently markets its SmartSlide(TM) family of products to companies and organizations involved in stem cell and cell biology research. SmartSlide(TM), which was launched in 2006, represents the first fluidics integrated micro-incubators enabling cell biology and stem cell research. Representative SmartSlide(TM) customers include Harvard University, Mayo Clinic, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Abbott Labs, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
To learn more about WaferGen, please visit the company’s web site at http://www.wafergen.com.
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
This press release contains certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Such statements include statements relating to the expected benefits of the SmartSlide Micro-Incubation System to customers and researchers, including Dr. Simmons and his research team, and other statements that are not historical facts, including statements which may be preceded by the words “intends,” “may,” “will,” “plans,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “predicts,” “estimates,” “aims,” “believes,” “hopes,” “potential” or similar words. For such statements, the company claims the protection of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, are based on certain assumptions and are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the company. Actual results may differ materially from the expectations contained in the forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause such differences include the risks that: (i) the company may be unsuccessful in commercially developing its products or in achieving market acceptance of new and relatively unproven technologies; (ii) the company will need to raise additional capital to meet its business requirements in the future and the company may not be able to do so on reasonable terms or at all; (iii) the company’s proprietary intellectual property rights may not adequately protect its products and technologies; and (iv) the company expects intense competition in its target markets, including from companies that have much greater resources than the company, and there can be no assurance that the company will be able to compete effectively. More detailed information about the company and the risk factors that may affect the realization of forward-looking statements is set forth in the company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on November 13, 2007. Investors and security holders are urged to read this document free of charge on the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov. The company does not undertake to publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
sdiaz@vidacommunication.com tbrons@vidacommunication.com
CONTACT: Investors, Stephanie Diaz, +1-415-675-7400,
sdiaz@vidacommunication.com, or Media, Tim Brons, +1-415-675-7402,
tbrons@vidacommunication.com, both of Vida Communication, for WaferGen
Biosystems, Inc.
Web site: http://www.wafergen.com/
