Affymetrix Exclusively Licenses Technology from Peptide Groove LLP for HLA Typing from Genotyping Data

Affymetrix (NASDAQ:AFFX) announced today that it has exclusively licensed technology from Peptide Groove LLP that enables HLA typing of human samples from genotyping data generated from a variety of assays including the company's Axiom^® genotyping assays. The partners at Peptide Groove LLP developed HLA*IMP, the first HLA typing statistical imputation method which can call 4-digit HLA types from SNP genotyping data with high accuracy. Conventional methods for HLA typing, such as DNA sequencing, can be laborious, time consuming, and expensive. Imputing HLA types from genotyping data, such as those from Affymetrix’ Axiom genotyping platform, offers a new, very high-throughput, and low-cost approach.

The technology will enable purpose-built, highly efficient HLA typing screening arrays that could prove useful for a broad range of HLA typing application needs, including donor repositories, drug development clinical trials, and many translational research studies. Additionally, customers using Affymetrix Axiom biobank arrays and other genotyping arrays for GWAS and fine mapping will be able to ascertain HLA type information without further experimentation.

"We now have a method for inferring an individual's HLA genotype based on evaluating genetic information from nearby variable sites that are more easily assayed than conventional HLA markers,” stated Peter Donnelly, Professor of Statistical Science and Director of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics at the University of Oxford and co-founder of Peptide Groove LLP. "Better imputation of classical HLA alleles is an important goal in enabling association studies to understand the genetic risk of many complex and infectious diseases.”

"Determining HLA genotypes is an important part of many studies to understand the genetic basis of disease risk,” said Andy Last, Chief Operating Officer of Affymetrix. "The ability to determine HLA types from new or pre-existing genotyping data in parallel with other genetic analyses is a combination that will enable new scientific insights with greater efficiency.”

Affymetrix plans to incorporate the licensed technology as an added capability accompanying its genotyping products including Axiom Genotyping Solution.

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About Peptide Groove LLP

Peptide Groove LLP is an Oxford, UK, based partnership focused on developing and commercializing sophisticated statistical analysis tools for high-throughput genotyping data in a range of biomedical applications. The partners of Peptide Groove, Gil McVean, Peter Donnelly, Stephen Leslie, and Alexander Dilthey, are international research leaders in statistical genetics and genomics.

About Affymetrix

Affymetrix technologies enable multiplex and simultaneous analysis of biological systems at the cell, protein, and gene level, facilitating the rapid translation of bench-top research into clinical and routine use for human health and wellness. The Company provides leadership and support, partnering with customers in pharmaceutical, diagnostic, and biotechnology companies, as well as leading academic, government, and non-profit research institutes in their quest to use biology for a better world. More than 2,300 microarray systems have been shipped around the world and more than 65,000 peer-reviewed papers have been published citing Affymetrix technologies. Affymetrix is headquartered in Santa Clara, California, and has manufacturing facilities in Cleveland, Ohio, San Diego, Vienna, and Singapore. The Company has about 1,100 employees worldwide and maintains sales and distribution operations across Europe, Asia, and Latin America. For more information about Affymetrix, please visit www.affymetrix.com.

Forward-looking statements

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, including statements regarding Affymetrix' "expectations," "beliefs," "hopes," "intentions," "strategies," or the like. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially for Affymetrix from those projected. These and other risk factors are discussed in Affymetrix' Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013, and other SEC reports for subsequent quarterly periods.