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OncoMethylome Sciences (EBR:ONCOB) Liège, Belgium - November 12, 2008, 08.00 CET - OncoMethylome Sciences (Euronext Brussels: ONCOB, Euronext Amsterdam: ONCOA) announced today that it has signed a world-wide, non-exclusive license agreement with QIAGEN (NASDAQ: QGEN; Frankfurt, Prime Standard: QIA). Under this agreement, QIAGEN has licensed certain of OncoMethylome's methylation technologies for use in certain of QIAGEN's future products. These products will expand, among others, QIAGEN's EpiTect product line. The agreement specifically covers the use of OncoMethylome's patented Methylation-Specific PCR (MSP) technology, the most widely applied epigenetic technology, for the scientific research market. Under the terms of the agreement, QIAGEN will pay OncoMethylome an upfront fee plus royalties from future sales of products utilizing this technology. Other terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Herman Spolders, Chief Executive Officer of OncoMethylome Sciences S.A. stated: "We are very pleased to have entered this relationship with QIAGEN, the market leader for sample and assay technologies in molecular diagnostics, applied testing, and pharmaceutical and academic research, which underscores the great value that OncoMethylome's technologies have for the epigenetic cancer research market. The agreement will lead to accelerated research in methylation-based applications for early detection and personalized treatment of cancer."
"Epigenetics is a very dynamic area in today's life sciences and an important market for QIAGEN," said Achim Ribbe, Executive Director Corporate Business Development with QIAGEN. "This agreement strengthens our broad portfolio of epigenetic sample & assay solutions spanning from sample to result. MSP is a perfect match with our Epitect product-line and allows us to further enable scientific progress in the development of diagnostics and therapeutics for cancer."
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About Methylation and Methylation Markers Methylation is a natural control mechanism that regulates gene expression in DNA. Abnormal methylation of certain genes, such as tumor suppressor genes, can silence gene expression and is associated with cancer development. Genes, whose methylation is linked to cancer, are called methylation markers. OncoMethylome owns proprietary technology that is highly sensitive and capable of detecting methylation markers, and thereby cancer, even in early stages of cancer development.
About OncoMethylome Sciences OncoMethylome Sciences (Euronext Brussels: ONCOB; Euronext Amsterdam: ONCOA) is a molecular diagnostics company developing gene methylation tests to assist physicians in effectively detecting and treating cancer. Specifically, the company's tests are designed to help the physician (i) accurately detect cancer in early stages of cancer development, (ii) predict a patient's response to drug therapy, and (iii) predict the likelihood of cancer recurrence.
OncoMethylome boasts a broad product development pipeline consisting of ten products and a solid partnering record. The company collaborates with leading international molecular oncology research centers, such as The Johns Hopkins University, and has a number of commercial and collaborative partnerships with Veridex LLC, a Johnson & Johnson company, LabCorp, Schering-Plough Corp., GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, Abbott, Merck KGaA, Millipore Corporation's BioScience Division, and EXACT Sciences Corp. OncoMethylome's products are based on methylation technology invented by Johns Hopkins University (USA).
Established in January 2003, OncoMethylome has offices in Liege and Leuven (Belgium), in Durham, NC (USA), and in Amsterdam (the Netherlands).
About QIAGEN QIAGEN N.V., a Netherlands holding company, is the leading global provider of sample and assay technologies. Sample technologies are used to isolate and process DNA, RNA and proteins from biological samples such as blood or tissue. Assay technologies are used to make such isolated biomolecules visible. QIAGEN has developed and markets more than 500 sample and assay products as well as automated solutions for such consumables. The company provides its products to molecular diagnostics laboratories, academic researchers, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, and applied testing customers for purposes such as forensics, animal or food testing and pharmaceutical process control. QIAGEN's assay technologies include one of the broadest panels of molecular diagnostic tests available worldwide. This panel includes the only FDA-approved test for human papillomavirus (HPV), the primary cause of cervical cancer. QIAGEN employs more than 2,800 people in over 30 locations worldwide. Further information about QIAGEN can be found at http://www.qiagen.com/.
For more information please contact: Philip Devine Tel. +32 479 505 885 ir@oncomethylome.com www.oncomethylome.com
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