Roche Diagnostics ties up with CombiMatrix for developing standardized biochips for research applications. The company has recently entered into a non-exclusive worldwide license, supply, research, and development agreement with CombiMatrix Corporation, a majority-owned subsidiary of Acacia Research Corporation (ACRI).

Under the terms of the agreement, Roche Diagnostics will purchase, use and resell CombiMatrix's biochips (microarrays) and related technology for rapid production of customizable biochips. Additionally, CombiMatrix and Roche will develop a platform technology, providing a range of standardized biochips for use in important research applications.

The agreement allows Roche in the future to use, develop and resell licensed CombiMatrix products in diagnostic applications. The agreement includes an undisclosed revenue sharing arrangement and has a term of 15 years. The agreement provides for minimum payments by Roche to CombiMatrix over the first three years including royalties, payments for products, and R&D projects.

Biochips are valuable tools for use in identifying and determining the roles of genes, gene mutations, and gene products (proteins) by vastly increasing the number of genes that can be studied in a single experiment. Demand for these tools is driven by the exploitation of the Human Genome Project information.

"Combining Roche's expertise in genetics, genomics and proteomics with CombiMatrix's Biochip Platform will not only speed up but also shape the future of genomic research. Integrating flexible design of products in a single system will provide the scientific community with customized high throughput research tools," stresses Heino von Prondzynski, Head of Roche Diagnostics.

"This unique platform will be useful for multiple applications, including gene expression studies, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis, disease classification, pathway identification, and toxicology studies", stated Susanne Raehs, Head of Roche Applied Science. "Our customisable biological array processors will enable potential customers to reduce the time and costs associated with the discovery and development of pharmaceutical products."

Gerald Knudson, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of CombiMatrix said today, "Roche Diagnostics is a clear leader in its field with a high level of market penetration in over 170 countries. Roche's market position, along with its excellent reputation, will enhance CombiMatrix's establishment of its technology as "The Single Platform for DiscoveryTM".

A biochip is a collection of miniaturized test sites arranged on a surface that permits many tests to be performed simultaneously, or in parallel, in order to achieve higher throughput and speed. CombiMatrix's integrated system of semiconductor-based arrays offers the advantages of being cost-effective, fast, flexible, and customizable.

The CombiMatrix system should enable researchers to conduct rapid, iterative experiments to analyze the large amounts of genomic information generated by the Human Genome Project and other genomic research efforts. In typical practical applications, the results of an initial experiment will be analyzed and used to change the composition of the biochip to further optimize its performance. The user may wish to change the sequences of some array elements, eliminate some sequences, or incorporate additional sequences. The CombiMatrix system will allow Roche to provide biochips with the desired changes within a few days.

CombiMatrix Corporation is developing a platform technology that allows the company to rapidly produce customizable active biochips, which are semiconductor-based tools for use in identifying and determining the roles of genes, gene mutations and proteins. The company is designing its products principally to be responsive to the needs of pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and academic researchers in analyzing raw genomic data in the discovery and development of pharmaceutical products.