Helicos BioSciences Featured at Advances in Genome Biology and Technology Meeting
February 23 2010 - 7:00AM
Business Wire
Helicos BioSciences (NASDAQ:HLCS) and it’s collaborators will
deliver presentations featured at the Advances in Genome Biology
and Technology (AGBT) meeting in Marco Island, Florida, from
February 24-27, 2010. The presentations demonstrate the unique
attributes of single molecule sequencing available for customers
using the Helicos® Genetic Analysis System, and highlight the
suitability of the technology for answering difficult and
previously intractable questions in biology and medicine.
Dr. Timothy Triche, MD, PhD, University of Southern California
on behalf of the Children’s Oncology Group will discuss recent
collaborative studies undertaken with Helicos in a talk entitled
“Unraveling the Complexity of
Primary and Metastatic Ewing’s Sarcoma Using Helicos Single
Molecule Sequencing”. Using a Helicos® Genetic Analysis
System, the group performed a comprehensive and quantitative survey
of a cancer patient's genome and transcriptome to identify changes
responsible for tumor metastasis and drug resistance.
In a talk entitled “A True
Unbiased View of Genome Biology: Helicos Single Molecule
Sequencing” Patrice Milos, PhD, Vice President and Chief
Scientific Officer, of Helicos will present the technology’s unique
ability to perform Direct RNA Sequencing and Direct Chromatin
Immunoprecipitation Sequencing (ChIP-Seq), providing unbiased
quantitation and sequence information. The unparalleled
quantitative accuracy of Helicos' direct measurement will be
demonstrated relative to 2nd Generation, amplification-based
technologies.
In addition, John Thompson, PhD, Helicos’s Senior Director of
Genomic Sciences, will give a poster presentation entitled
“Single Molecule Sequencing of DNA
Invisible to Other Technologies” describing Helicos' unique
ability to sequence DNA from samples other technologies can't.
These include samples that are highly degraded, contaminated or of
very ancient origin.
The Helicos® Genetic Analysis System is the world's first and
only commercially available technology capable of True Single
Molecule Sequencing (tSMS)TM. Unlike amplification-based
technologies, the Helicos approach is free from the biases and
artifacts associated with amplification, and provides a direct view
of biological samples, enabling applications that can revolutionize
biology, diagnostics and medicine.
About Helicos BioSciences:
Helicos BioSciences is a life science company focused on
innovative genetic analysis technologies for the research, drug
discovery, and diagnostic markets. Helicos' proprietary True Single
Molecule Sequencing, tSMS(TM), technology allows direct measurement
of billions of strands of DNA enabling scientists to perform
experiments and ask questions never before possible. Helicos is a
recipient of two $1,000 genome grants and committed to providing
scientists the tools to unlock the era of genomic medicine. The
company's corporate headquarters are located at One Kendall Square,
Building 700, Cambridge, MA 02139, and its telephone number is
(617) 264-1800. For more information, please visit
www.helicosbio.com.
Certain statements made in this press release that are not based
on historical information are forward-looking statements which are
made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This press release
contains express or implied forward-looking statements relating to,
among other things, the prospective value of the unique attributes
of single molecule sequencing as discussed in this press release
and the presentations at the AGBT meeting, and management's plans,
objectives and strategies. These statements are neither promises
nor guarantees, but are subject to a variety of risks and
uncertainties, many of which are beyond Helicos' control, which
could cause actual results to differ materially from those
contemplated in these forward-looking statements. In particular,
the risks and uncertainties include, among other things, our
ability to successfully complete and/or scale the manufacturing and
commercialization process for the Helicos® Genetic Analysis System;
our history of operating losses and ability to achieve
profitability; our ability to sustain and scale our manufacturing
capabilities; the research and development spending levels of
academic, clinical and governmental research institutions and
pharmaceutical, biotechnology and agriculture companies who may
purchase our Helicos® Genetic Analysis System; our reliance on
third-party suppliers; competition; changing technology and
customer requirements; our ability to operate in an emerging
market; market acceptance of our technology; the length of our
sales and implementation cycles; our dependence on large contracts
for the sale and implementation of our Helicos® Genetic Analysis
System; failure of our technology and products; our ability to
maintain customer relationships and contracts; ethical, legal and
social concerns surrounding the use of genetic information; our
ability to retain our personnel and hire additional skilled
personnel; our ability to manage our growth while operating with
limited resources; our ability to control our operating expenses;
general economic and business conditions; our ability to obtain
capital when desired on favorable terms; and the volatility of the
market price of our common stock. Existing and prospective
investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these
forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.
Helicos undertakes no obligation to update or revise the
information contained in this press release, whether as a result of
new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise. For
additional disclosure regarding these and other risks faced by
Helicos, see the disclosure contained in Helicos' public filings
with the Securities and Exchange Commission.