ILMN Illumina Inc

Genetic products maker Affymetrix Inc (AFFX) has broadened its Axiom Genotyping Solution (a high-throughput genotyping platform) with the launch of the Axiom Genome-Wide Pan-African Array. It is the first commercial product designed to maximize genetic coverage of both common and rare alleles (an allele is one of a pair or series of genes) in populations of African descent (including West and East Africans and African Americans).

The poor genomic coverage of the existing commercially available arrays has so far made it difficult for the researchers to comprehend the underlining genetic factors, which trigger increased risk for diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular and pulmonary disorders in African Americans.

So far, African Americans and Africans have been underrepresented in disease association studies as the existing arrays for these groups were not optimized for the complex haplotype (a group of alleles of linked genes) patterns of African genomes.

The Axiom Pan-African Array, which was developed leveraging more than 11 million common and rare genomic markers, has been designed to address the unique haplotype patterns and has the highest coverage of variants in important biological categories compared with other arrays with a similar number of markers. It offers researchers a powerful and cost-effective tool for studying disease and characterizing the genetic basis of diseases in Africans and African Americans.

California-based Affymetrix is a leading provider of microarray-based products and services to the global research community. Along with Illumina Inc. (ILMN), it is one of the two major providers of microarray technologies primarily used in the field of genetic research. Microarrays have emerged as an important research tool as they can be used to examine hundreds of thousands of genes simultaneously.

Affymetrix has expertise in gene expression monitoring arrays, which are used to identify correlations between genes, determine their biological functions, and identify patterns that enable more accurate disease classification. The company is expanding its customer base through new product introductions and strategic alliances.

Affymetrix’s Axiom array platform (launched in October 2009) has been a key driver for its DNA business. The automated Axiom platform supports Genome-Wide Association Studies (a study of genetic variation) and customized arrays. The Axiom includes microarray plates, reagent kits and data analysis tools and leverages the GeneTitan system, Affymetrix’s next-generation microarray platform.

Affymetrix continues to enjoy steady end-user demand for its arrays as evidenced by sustained volume growth over the past few quarters. However, the company remains challenged by a soft operating backdrop in Europe and competitive product offerings that leverage advanced technologies. We are currently Neutral on the stock.

 
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